a little drop of poison
by not the bees
Summary: Starts from 3x11. Klaus saves Bonnie instead of Caroline. Klonnie.
1. the bite

_A/N: I've recently started watching TVD and I feel like Bonnie and Klaus are the Dramione of the show although I might be alone in this. I've read ahead and know they sadly don't get together...but I wanted to write a "what if" oneshot. (I'm not sure if I will expand it, but if I ever do, it's probably going to be a redemption story.) Hope you like!  
_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie was going to head home. She _was_. She didn't want to ruin Caroline's birthday/funeral any further. Her gripe with Elena and her decision to compel Jeremy out of town would have to wait another day.

But then she stumbled upon Tyler and Caroline having a private moment in the woods.

"I'm not moving on from anything. I love you," Tyler was saying in a heartfelt manner, staring deeply into the blond vampire's eyes.

Bonnie quickly scurried behind a tree, afraid she might interrupt their tryst. Admittedly, Caroline getting back with Tyler wasn't a brilliant idea, seeing as he was sired to Klaus.

_But the heart wants what it wants_, she thought grimly. She wasn't a fool to deny she probably still had some remnant feelings for Jeremy. But she also wasn't a fool to give into them. The smart, practical thing was to move on. Caroline should probably do the same.

_Not a big chance of that happening_, she realized since the two had started kissing.

She was about to look away, embarrassed to witness their intimacy, when a flash of something white caught her eye. It was Tyler's fangs.

A deep-seated reflex made her raise her hand instinctively, and before he had a chance to bite her friend, Tyler was on his back and writhing.

Bonnie came out of her hiding, eyes trained on the hybrid moaning at her feet.

"Bonnie! What are you doing?! Stop!" Caroline cried out.

"He tried to bite you!" Bonnie exclaimed, twisting her wrist so that Tyler lay flat on the ground, unable to move. He howled in pain.

"You're going to kill him!" her friend insisted.

"I'm only immobilizing him."

"Stop!"

"He's being controlled by Klaus. He's dangerous!"

"Bonnie, please!"

Bonnie chewed on her lip doubtfully. "Okay, but we have to get out of here –"

As soon as her grip on him had lessened, Tyler sprang back up and growled menacingly. His eyes had turned yellow. Bonnie took a step back.

"Run, Care," she called out in a whisper.

"Phesmatos –" Bonnie began in a low voice, but he was expecting her attack now and he was too fast.

He was at her throat before she had a chance to take him down.

Caroline screamed. She tried to pull him off, but Tyler was impossibly strong. In his rage, he snapped back at her and threw her across the clearing into a tree trunk.

Bonnie saw a white light coming at her with blinding speed. She wrestled to free herself, even though the pain had frozen every muscle.

Tyler tore at her flesh like a dog with a bone.

She cried out into the night.

* * *

When her eyes opened next, she was met with the same white light as before.

_Oh. Oh, no. I'm dead, aren't I?_

This time, the light was static, and not so blinding. In fact, if she focused hard and took a deep breath, she could even make out a shape. A square.

Bonnie blinked.

The square multiplied, until she found herself in a white room.

She was lying down in a warm bed, but she felt cold. When she looked down, she noticed she was wearing a thin robe and a small blanket had been thrown over her legs. She tried swinging her legs over, but her body protested wildly. She was weak, lethargic. She turned her head, feeling the muscles ache. The catheter attached to her wrist coiled up like a vine into a blood bag.

She was in the hospital.

Her mind was fuzzy, trying to piece back how exactly she'd ended up here. She remembered something about Caroline's birthday, a funeral, a fight and then –

"Tyler."

Where was he? What had he done? Was Caroline okay?

_You're the one in the hospital_, she chided herself. _Maybe you should worry about yourself right now._

On cue, she felt a stabbing pain at her neck. A large bandage had been placed over the wound. She remembered now. Tyler had bitten her.

But she was still alive, which meant he hadn't drained her.

Bonnie closed her eyes and let the magic stir up inside of her. She could heal herself fine from a vampire's bite. She just had to focus on the wounded spot and infuse the magic into it.

_Come on now. Make it all better._

The magic prodded and nudged at the injured flesh but did not seem able to seep in. Bonnie frowned. She clenched her fists and held her breath. The magic grew more violent. But it seemed to be knocking itself against a dead wall. The skin wouldn't close. The bite would not fade.

"Don't count on that working, _witch_."

Bonnie snapped her eyes open. If her body were not completely slack, she would've jumped out of the bed.

A pair of onyx eyes stared her down. His features seemed carved in stone. Klaus Mikaelson was towering over her like a sinister harbinger of death. If she held out her hand, she could almost touch him. She shied away from him to the edge of the bed.

"_You_. Get away from me. Get away!"

She reached out for the call button and pressed down several times.

"Well, that's uncalled for. After all, it was Tyler who bit you, not me."

"You made him do it!"

"Ah-ah, love. I made him bite Caroline. You got in the way, I'm afraid."

Bonnie scowled in disgust.

"You tried to kill my friend."

"And I have another one of your friends under my thumb. Yes. I think we've established my concern for any of your loved ones is next to nil."

Bonnie lifted her fingers shakily, but Klaus caught her wrist easily.

She gasped in pain.

"Trying to give me an aneurysm, are you? When I'm actually here to help."

"I don't need any _more_ of your help. You've done enough!" she spat, wrenching her hand away. "Leave me!"

"Fine," he replied, an amused smile crossing his lips. "I'll go and let you wither and die in a hospital bed, if that is your wish."

Bonnie was panting as hard as if she'd run a mile. Her blood pressure was running high, as the machines she was attached to, confirmed. They started beeping rather menacingly.

Yet, no staff member burst into her ward.

"They," Klaus said, pointing his finger behind him at the closed door, "won't be able to do anything for you. Either your friends or the doctors."

"What are you talking about? I don't need anyone's help. I can cure myself."

Klaus shook his head, a faux look of sympathy marring his demonic features. "You weren't bitten by a vampire, Bonnie. You were bitten by a hybrid."

Bonnie screwed up her eyebrows in confusion. "I'm not a vampire. I'll heal."

Klaus chuckled, folding his arms smugly. "You'd think that after all this time you lot would stop underestimating me. It's not just vampires that are…_affected_ by a hybrid's bite. It's all supernatural creatures. Like, say, a witch."

Bonnie balked. "No. That's not true."

"Isn't it?"

"I would've known."

"Until recently, there only used to be one hybrid... Doubtful that you could acquire such knowledge."

"I still don't believe you."

"How else do you think I managed to fight off witches for so many centuries? I even had a few under my command."

Bonnie tried not to listen to him. She tried not to believe.

"Try again. Try to use your magic on the bite. See if it fares any better," he teased, smirking.

Bonnie looked away in mortification. She wasn't going to fail in front of him.

"You're not going to try again, because you know I am right."

Bonnie steeled herself against his cruel amusement.

"I'm surprised you didn't bite me earlier, if it's so potent," she retorted, eyes spitting fire.

"Well. Before, you had the power of one hundred witches. After that, you stayed out of my way. But now, you got into this trouble all by yourself. I had _nothing_ to do with it," he said, crossing his heart mockingly.

_Like hell you didn't_, she thought, but instead asked,

"Where is Caroline? And Tyler?"

Klaus chuckled. "Here I am telling you you have been fatally wounded and you ask me about your pathetic friends."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "If you hurt them…"

"I don't believe you're in a position to make demands, love. But you may rest assured that they know I am here."

"_What_?"

"They realized, of course, that I'm the only one who can help you."

She snorted bitterly. "Right. You and helping."

"One sip of my blood and you will be as good as new."

Bonnie grimaced, feeling sick to the stomach at the mere idea of it. "That's horrible."

"I find it…_charming_ how you act as if you had a choice in the matter."

"Of course I do. I'm _not_ drinking your blood. Besides, this has to be a trick. The only time you help someone is when you want something in return, and whatever it is I'm not –"

Bonnie felt a sudden burning sensation at her neck and keeled over, moaning into her pillow.

In the blink of an eye, he was at her side again, bending over to grasp her cheek.

Bonnie flinched at the touch, not because it was cold, but because it was warm. She could do nothing but stare into his eyes as he gently moved her head to the side to look at the wound.

"Stop –" she demanded hoarsely, but his fingers had already pulled off the bandage.

Bonnie bit her tongue not to scream.

"This looks quite awful," he murmured sadly.

"I don't need your pity," she scowled. "Just leave me alone."

But instead of leaving her, he sat down on the bed next to her.

"You tried to kill me, Bonnie Bennett. You almost succeeded. The only other person who got that close was my father. I sucked his soul dry. Yet here I am trying to save you."

Bonnie looked over his features with alarm. He wasn't mocking her anymore. In fact, he looked serious. What part of the plan was this? And how would he hurt her next?

"I can see you trying to figure me out. Alas, I don't want anything in return. I genuinely wish to help you."

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

"_Why_?"

"Well…for one, it's common courtesy. I was trying to get the blonde killed, not you. It would be _rude_ not to repair such a gaffe."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, already regretting asking.

"And for another…" he trailed off, his eyes turning a degree softer, "when I heard what happened to you I did not feel as pleased as I thought I would. It occurred to me that it would be a shame to lose an enemy of your caliber."

His fingers traced her jaw slowly, meticulously. He turned his palm over and his knuckles grazed her cheek tenderly. His eyes looked glazed over, almost as if he were lost in thought.

Bonnie was shocked by the unexpected caress. She was not sure how to react, whether to pull away or…

"I don't wish for you to die. Not like this. Not _now_. We will have more battles, you and I. If you must perish, you will perish by my hand. Let me help you, Bonnie."

She did not understand him, how he went from cruelty to kindness to cruelty again, in a matter of moments.

_He's a manipulator. Don't fall for it._

Something about it, though, seemed authentic.

Bonnie released a haggard breath. She felt her body drifting away from her with each rise and fall of her chest. The cure was right in front of her. She just had to reach out…

"I want to live," she whispered feebly.

Klaus smiled a broad smile. "You _will_."

He placed a hand under her waist and lifted her gently to him. Bonnie collided into his chest. Her hands found their way to his neck, clinging to him dizzily. She had never been this close to him and she remarked how he smelled of aftershave, paint and something wolfish, a primal scent.

He bit into his wrist, the fangs making a soft tearing sound.

Bonnie raised her head and saw the blood pooling at his wrist. It didn't look so horrible anymore. In fact, it looked almost tantalizing.

She licked her lips.

"Drink," he urged gently.

She took hold of his hand and opened her mouth. At first, she licked shyly at the red liquid, afraid that she might spit it all out. But as her tongue got used to the taste, she started licking more vigorously, until she was lapping at the blood like a kitten at a saucer of milk.

Klaus sighed and closed his eyes.

She pressed her lips to his wrist and started drinking in earnest. She could feel her body regaining its strength. The magic inside her was troubled, but her senses were sharp, her mind was not fuzzy anymore.

She drank until she felt her throat close up from the blood. She could swear she heard Klaus make a strangled, mewling sound above her, but she couldn't be certain because in the next moment he was wrenching his hand away and she was lying back down on the bed, head reeling and mouth slack.

Klaus' thumb wiped away the drops of blood from her lips.

"Well done, love."

She didn't get a chance to throw back a scathing remark, because the next thing she knew, she was sound asleep.

* * *

_I'm never drinking again._

Her head was swollen and her tongue felt like cotton inside her mouth. The tequila she'd had at Caroline's birthday/funeral had got to her head and _fast_.

She stretched her hand and tried to locate her alarm clock, but instead was met with empty air.

She blinked, her eyes watering from the light.

"Bon! You're awake!"

_Oomph!_

Her lungs were crushed and her arms were immobilized as Matt pulled her into a bear hug.

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry! It was all my fault!" another familiar voice screamed in her ear.

Apparently, her friends were trying to kill her.

"Okay, give me room to breathe…"

They stepped back respectfully so she could finally look at their faces. Caroline looked miserable and guilty, whereas Matt was mostly relieved.

"It's not your fault, Care," she sighed, flexing her arms. Although, she couldn't quite remember why Caroline was sorry in the first place. Something about Tyler?

"I should've listened to you when you said to run and I should've stopped him! Ugh, I hate what he did to you! And I hate that we had to ask Klaus for help. I'm just glad you're okay. I'm never trusting Tyler again!"

Slowly and painfully, her memories came back, one by one. Night time, a kiss that she shouldn't have witnessed, hungry fangs reaching for skin, Tyler's yellow eyes, a hospital bed, Klaus bending down to grasp her jaw, the taste of blood…

Bonnie reached out and touched her neck where the wound should have been. But it was gone. Her skin was as smooth as a newborn's.

"How are you feeling, Bon?" Matt asked tentatively.

"I'm – I'm okay, I think."

She could move her arms and legs fine and she no longer felt exhausted and listless.

She swung her feet down and got up from the bed shakily. Matt and Caroline both dived in to hold her, but she swatted their hands away.

"I can do it on my own."

And she did. She walked to the door and back. Her stomach rumbled. She was hungry. And thirsty. And she wanted to go out and breathe some fresh air.

"I actually feel great," she spoke with wonder.

* * *

In the time that she had been out cold, the town had not burned down, but Elena had been put into close danger again. Bonnie reflexively regretted not being there for her when the girl had needed her, but she reasoned with herself that almost _dying_ was a good excuse.

Besides, her best friend was safe now. She had sounded upset over the phone, but she was fine and that's all that mattered.

Bonnie had not been able to fully sympathize with her about Stefan because she was inordinately giddy. Even now, hours from her hospital release she was still bizarrely cheerful.

Everything seemed all right in the world for a change.

She smiled a stupid smile as she got into her shower and turned on the water.

Maybe tomorrow she'd feel her ordinary self again, but the strange thrill of having avoided death once again was infectious.

She let the water soak up her skin, clean off any remnants of her attack and...well, Klaus.

She hadn't fully come to terms with what he'd done for her, but she was expecting it to bite her in the ass quite soon. Except not now.

Now, everything was peachy. And she definitely didn't want to attribute her sense of wellbeing to his blood.

She stepped out of the steaming shower with a towel wrapped around her body and practically skipped to her room, humming a familiar tune in her head.

She sat down at her dressing table and grabbed a hairbrush, still humming happily.

And then she happened to look up and dropped the hairbrush altogether.

His reflection was staring back at her. The same onyx eyes, the same lazy, insidious smirk.

She shrieked and turned around, but there was no one behind her.

Bonnie sat up quickly and looked around in a state of agitation.

_No. This isn't happening. He can't. He can't be here._

She went to the window and lifted one of the blinds to look out, but the twilit horizon looked peaceful and the street below was empty.

"You won't find me there."

She froze in her step. Beads of water fell down her back and hit the floor with a deafening splash.

Klaus Mikaelson was sprawled across her bed, watching her.

"What the hell?! You weren't in here a moment ago! How - how _are_ you here? I never invited you in!"

"I'm not," he replied, drawing patterns into her duvet. "But you are."

"What is that supposed to mean? Get out of my room!"

She lifted her hand and attacked him with her magic, but he didn't flinch. Instead, she almost had to kneel because she had just given herself an aneurysm.

_What in the world...?_

"On second thoughts, you should have probably _not_ drunk my blood," he quipped innocently.

"You asshole," Bonnie growled, her good humor gone.

"Ah-ah. I didn't conjure myself here, did I? Your mind is to blame."

"You tricked me!"

He placed a hand over his chest in faux-offense. "I did no such thing. I only omitted the side-effects of...drinking me."

"I don't want to conjure you! I don't want you in my head!" she yelled enraged.

Klaus lifted himself off the bed and brushed invisible seams from his shirt. He walked up to her and pulled a wet strand from her face. Bonnie flinched.

"Then get me out," he whispered.


	2. the mother

_A/N: I've decided to expand the story, after all, because I would like to see them get together :) Thank you for giving the story a chance, I'm very grateful for your reviews and I'm happy you are enjoying it so far! _

_Thanks to **Guest1, Guest2, Guest3** (I thought Klaus would fall for Bonnie too and it really surprised me when he went for Caroline. Oh well, I am happy you are intrigued), **cice527, brynnbrigham, Guest4** (same here!), **Kaya** (glad to know!), **CheleOnRage712, Guest5** (Well said about Klaus, and thanks for the encouragement!)._

_The story follows the general outline of the third season._

_I hope you like :)_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

When Tyler had returned to the mansion looking like a wounded pup and reeking of magic, Klaus had been mildly startled.

"Well? Is it done?"

Tyler had shifted his head miserably. "I bit her."

"Then why do you smell like you've stumbled upon a witches' den?"

Tyler had growled. "I could've killed Caroline! Why would you do this?"

"_Could_ have? You mean you didn't?"

"Bonnie got in the way in time. But I – I had to bite her. I had to bite _someone_. Because of you!"

"Bonnie Bennett. The witch. You bit her."

At first, he had felt nothing except the small prick of a needle in his arm. That it gradually grew into a dull pain, like a blade culling against his skin, was nothing new. It was always like a tiny earthquake to hear about an enemy's fall. He had outlived so many of his foes that he almost experienced grief every time another one died.

But this was different.

Instead of sadness, he began to feel restlessness and _anger_.

He had never had many worthy opponents in his life. In a thousand years, he could still count them all on his fingers. One of them had been Bonnie Bennett, a living, breathing teenage witch, who was about to die. He had always thought a day would come when they would face each other again. He had been comforted by this knowledge; she would always be there, always ready to fight him, a constant in his life.

She would not disappoint. She would not die until he killed her.

And now Tyler had undone this.

His punishment was swift and merciless. He squeezed the life out of his hybrid until Tyler was writhing and begging on the floor. The only thing that prevented Klaus from ending his life for good was the need to get to Bonnie faster and cure her.

He had found her looking more fragile than he liked, but possessing the same innocent fire in her eyes that would make even the strongest hesitate.

He had never quite realized how important she was, until this moment. Not only because she was a useful witch, but because she was a natural opposite. He _needed_ that kind of righteous goodness in his life. As long as she survived, he was free to be as despicable and cruel as he wanted, because she would always be there to keep the balance.

For the first time in so many years, Klaus was stirred by this need, this need to protect what was _good_, so that he could be _bad_.

He almost felt sorry that, in drinking his blood, Bonnie would be bound to him in a way she might hate.

Almost.

But afterwards, he was not sorry at all.

* * *

Bonnie rubbed her eyes several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. But the manila folder on the table and the note attached to it were still frustratingly real. She paced her kitchen with wide steps, turning the matter over in her head. She could not see why he would do this for her.

What game was he playing? What was he hoping to gain from it? And why now?

It was clear to her, at least, that last night's apparition had not been a hoax. He had eventually disappeared from her bedroom, but it had taken some effort on her part to clear her thoughts. The blood she had drunk had forged a connection between them that made it possible for him to reach her, reach into her mind.

How else would he have known that she had dreamed about her mother and the coffins again?

She walked back to the table and looked over the note.

_Bonnie,_

_To prove how profusely apologetic I am for the inconvenience I have caused you, I have taken it upon myself to ease your mind of a difficult task. You will find enclosed in the folder her personal file, her new address and a number by which to contact her._

_Best of wishes,_

_Klaus _

A picture of Abby Bennett stuck out of the folder. The woman who smiled back was practically a stranger, but instantly recognizable.

The Original was actually reuniting her with her mother.

_Damn him. _

It didn't make sense. He was sabotaging himself. Bonnie wanted to track Abby down to ask her for help, not her affection. She had long ago gotten used to a motherless life. What she needed was another witch to assist her in opening the last coffin. Stefan had told her that defeating Klaus hinged upon that coffin. Why would the hybrid put himself in danger like this? Didn't he know that _two_ Bennett witches were bad news?

_He has something to gain from it. Always_, she thought miserably.

Nevertheless, the note still unnerved her. She could see that he had sat down and written it for her in old ink. His handwriting was the kind you saw in calligraphy lessons. Even the paper smelled ancient. She had wanted to burn it, but found herself unable to dispose of it.

Bonnie bit her lip. Even if Klaus had set a trap for her, she still wanted to find Abby. But she needed someone to go with her as backup.

Her options were few.

If she called Elena, her friend would surely tell her it was not safe. She'd claim Klaus was trying to hurt her and she shouldn't give him what he wanted, whatever that was. After the events in the woods, Caroline and Matt would be equally vocal about her staying put. Stefan and Damon were still busy keeping the coffins secret and she wasn't sure she could trust them. That left Tyler, who had bitten her, and Jeremy, whose memories had been wiped and was miles away.

_I suppose I can do this by myself._

But when she walked into her driveway, backpack slung over her shoulder, a tall young man was waiting for her at her car. His grey eyes scanned her with detachment and a rueful, but hooded smile played on his lips.

"Bonnie Bennett. Name's Tony. Klaus sent me to look after you. We're going to see your mother, yes?"

He was one of his hybrids.

Bonnie wanted to laugh. How did he expect her to spend several hours with a creature that could kill her with a single bite? Not only that, but he was also a spy for Klaus. However, the hybrid interrupted her before she had time to voice her disapproval.

"If I don't help you, Klaus has ordered me to rip my own heart out."

Bonnie grimaced. _Ah, of course. _

Leave it to him to turn every gesture of kindness into an act of cruelty.

_Well, if this is a trap, it can't be worse than everything that's happened to me already_, she thought grimly and got in the car with Klaus' hybrid.

* * *

Tony drove in silence as Bonnie read and reread her mother's file. Catching up with an absent parent's life was tiresome and depressing. It said there that her mother had remade her life in a new town, with a new family. She had adopted a boy, Jamie. She had a job. A house of her own. And she never thought about her daughter back in Mystic Falls. But never mind that.

Bonnie set down the folder and looked at the scenery unfolding outside her window. Without looking at her companion, she asked,

"So what else did Klaus tell you to do? Tell you to find the location of the coffins? Because you're not getting that out of me."

The man kept quiet as he made a turn in the road and Bonnie thought he hadn't heard her, but at length he spoke.

"No. He doesn't want that. Just told me to protect you. Keep you safe. Your mom too."

Bonnie wasn't fooled, but she reasoned that the Original could have killed her mother easily and removed her as a threat, if he had needed to. The fact that he hadn't spoke of bigger plans. Maybe Stefan had it all wrong. Maybe he wasn't _that_ scared of the last coffin.

"Let me guess. If you don't, you die."

"Pretty much," he confirmed.

Bonnie sighed and tilted her head. "Don't you find that unfair? That he asks so much of you?"

The man scratched his stubble indifferently. "He doesn't ask much. He trusts me not to fail. That's all."

"That's a nice way of looking at it. But don't you wish you were free of his hold?"

"No. He spared me the pain of turning every full moon. I'll always be grateful."

Bonnie knew he was being sincere. He really believed everything he said. Tyler must have been in the same helpless position. She wished she could help them somehow. It saddened her, how much genuine power Klaus had over others. She was one of the few people he couldn't control.

_Oh, can't he? What about the blood?_

She shook her head to get rid of that ugly reminder.

"Does he ask you to run errands like this a lot?" she asked instead.

"I'm his right hand man," he nodded.

Bonnie chewed on her lip. "You can't tell me why he's doing all of this, can you?"

The man turned his head towards her and gave her a cursory glance. The rueful smile was back on his lips.

"Afraid not."

"I thought so," she mumbled in disappointment. "Thanks anyway."

"Well…I can tell you _one_ of the reasons."

Bonnie perked up, raising her head eagerly. "Yes?"

He coughed awkwardly, one hand on the steering wheel, the other rubbing his neck.

"He's trying to impress you."

* * *

To say that having tea with her mom, her half-son and a hybrid was awkward was the understatement of the year.

"Does he _have_ to loom over us like that?" Abby questioned, narrowing her eyes.

Bonnie cleared her throat.

"Tony, could you give us some privacy?"

The hybrid huffed but stepped out of the living room. Not out of earshot though. Bonnie knew she had to be careful with her words so as not to reveal the coffins' location. But the way things were going, she wasn't sure she needed the precautions. Abby Bennett hadn't been very helpful so far.

"_Tony_?" her mother echoed. "You know him?"

"Not exactly."

"But you know what he is, don't you?" she said, her eyes flitting to the dark figure in the hallway.

Bonnie waved her hand. "We're not here to talk about him."

"Please tell me you're not hanging around Klaus."

Bonnie's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Hybrids can only mean Klaus. I already dealt with his father once and almost lost everything. Don't make my mistakes."

"I'm sorry, but you're not in a position to judge or advise me. I just want to know what you can do to help me. That's all," Bonnie spoke coldly.

"I'm only trying to protect you when I say this –"

"A little bit late for that," Bonnie cut her off.

Jamie coughed awkwardly. "Maybe I should brew a new pot…tea's getting cold." He got up and went after the hybrid.

Abby lowered her head and pursed her lips. "You're right, Bonnie. And I feel awful I wasn't there for you. I do. I should have protected you every step of the way. I ran instead."

Bonnie's grip on her cup was bit too tight. She didn't like where the conversation was going.

"It's – it's okay. Grams did the job very well. Now, about your powers."

If Abby was disappointed at her daughter's abrupt change of subject, she didn't show it.

"It's like I said. I lost all my powers desiccating Mikael. They never came back. I don't want the same thing happening to you."

Bonnie breathed through her nostrils loudly. "You mean you can't help me at all?"

"I wish there was a way –"

She groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "_Great_."

"I know you were counting on me. I'm sorry."

Bonnie looked down at her fingers. "I guess I'll have to open it by myself." _Again and again and again._

Abby shook her head. "Please don't, Bonnie. It could destroy you."

Bonnie scowled. "I'm strong. Always have been strong, if you haven't noticed."

"I know that, but someone like Klaus Mikaelson can put you in an early grave. Stay far _away_ from him and his kind."

"But this is my chance to defeat him," Bonnie whispered, looking over her shoulder warily.

Abby smiled bitterly. "You know, I thought the same thing when I faced Mikael. I thought I had a chance."

"I _do_."

"Maybe. But if you want to win, you'll have to go about a different route."

Bonnie scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean magic isn't _enough_. Magic won't defeat him."

"What will?"

Abby pressed her lips into a thin line and looked down into her cup. Her silence was maddening.

Bonnie cast a mute charm over the room.

"You can talk now –"

She looked up stiffly. "Whatever is in that coffin won't stop him. He's a monster. And the only way you defeat a monster is by becoming a monster yourself."

Bonnie exhaled.

"I was close with Mikael. I almost became…" her mother trailed off, her voice shaking. "I left you, didn't I? That's the price."

Bonnie looked away. _No. That's not an excuse. I can't forgive you._ But couldn't she?

"I will find another way," Bonnie said, trying to convince not only her mother, but herself too. _I won't become like you. I won't become like him either. _

They remained silent for a long time, until the hybrid walked back into the room.

"Had a nice chat? Good. We have to go now."

Bonnie turned in her chair. "Go?"

"Back to Mystic Falls. We're taking your mom with."

Abby looked at the hybrid. "I told my daughter I can't help her. That should be good news to you and your master."

Tony scratched his head. "I don't know about that. But orders are orders."

Bonnie swore under her breath. "You didn't tell me about these orders."

"Yeah. Sorry about that," he shrugged. He didn't sound very sorry, however.

"I'm not going," Abby declared stubbornly. "He can come here if he wants a quarrel."

"Thought you'd say that."

Bonnie gasped. The hybrid had grabbed Jamie's neck and was threatening to snap it.

"Tony! Don't!"

"Tell her to come along peacefully then," he spat.

Bonnie looked over at her mother. Abby had tears in her eyes. Bonnie swallowed down the irrational pang of jealousy.

"What does Klaus want with her?" Bonnie demanded, ire rising in her voice.

"He'll tell you himself, I'm guessing. Remember. I'm to protect you and her. With my life."

Bonnie sighed. She didn't know how she felt about bringing her mom back to Mystic Falls. Part of her wanted to run, like Abby.

"I'll go," her mother said softly, dejectedly.

* * *

The ride back into town was loaded with tension and unspoken words. Bonnie found it impossible to say anything to her mom that wouldn't sound fake and cold. And Abby was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to see her daughter's turmoil. Tony alone was humming to a tune on the radio, oblivious to the charged atmosphere.

Bonnie grew more and more irritated. She turned to the driver.

"You know, if all Klaus wanted from the start was to bring my mother to Mystic Falls, why didn't he just do that? Why the lies and the note and the charade? Why even bring me along?"

Tony blew air through his mouth and chuckled.

"I told you. He wants to impress you."

Bonnie caught Abby staring at her meaningfully in the mirror. Her mom looked surprised. Not the pleasant kind of surprised.

"It's not like that. He's just trying to confuse me," Bonnie muttered embarrassed.

Abby remained stoically silent, but she exuded disapproval through every pore.

Bonnie found it funny how they were having their first "boy fight" and it involved the most dangerous man in the world. Whom she despised.

When the car finally stopped it was night time and they were parked in front of Klaus' Family Mansion. The doors opened wide and Tony ushered them inside the sweeping hallway where none other than the Original himself was waiting with two glasses of wine.

"Ah, Bonnie. You received my note," he greeted her, his eyes lighting up.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "How could I miss it?"

He walked up to her and slipped the glass between her fingers. Then he turned to Abby.

"And you brought your mother. How lovely."

Abby glared at him. "What kind of trick is this?"

"Let's retire to the drawing room and discuss, shall we?" he said, snaking a possessive hand over Bonnie's back.

Bonnie felt a sharp tingling sensation down her spine where Klaus' fingers were currently nesting. She meant to pull away, but Tony had grabbed her mom's arm and was leading her towards the drawing room and several other hybrids were watching them from behind closed doors.

She gripped her glass and let him guide her into the room. She made sure, however, not to make eye contact or lean into him too much by accident.

"I hope you managed to rest well last night," he murmured close to her ear. Bonnie pulled her head away.

_The bastard! Of course he knows about the blood connection._

She breathed out and smiled a saccharine smile at him.

"Thank you, I did."

He narrowed his eyes at her and his jaw clicked, but a devious smirk played on his lips.

"Good."


	3. the deal

_A/N: Fast update because Sunday! From now on I'll be busy with school, so updates will be slower, but I will try to write as much as possible. So many thanks to everyone who has reviewed, your support is very needed and appreciated! Thanks to **brynnbrigham, Guest1** (yes, I was really shocked Klaus did not take a further interest in Bonnie seeing as she is such a powerful witch and he is drawn to that, but oh well, that's what fanfiction is for), **Guest2** (thank you! hope you like the update), **CheleOnRage712, Gabby** (so glad you're liking it so far! I was just as upset when the writers decided to go with Klaroline. That was a terrible misstep and it almost ruined Klaus a bit for me), **embracetheweird16, leni18, LeilaniStar, ZombieSavior.** _

_Hope you like! _

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

"Shall we discuss this over dinner, like civilized people?"

Bonnie sat down in the offered seat with some trepidation. Klaus made sure to tuck her chair in by himself. His hands lingered on the back of her seat for a moment longer before he moved at the front of the table. Different assortments of aperitifs had been placed in front of them along with their glasses of wine. Bonnie's was already empty. She had downed hers in an attempt to qualm her nerves. Her mother hadn't touched her glass and she sat adjacently with a fierce and forbidding expression on her face, ignoring Klaus' remarks about trying the food.

Tony presided over them from some feet away, standing with his back to the fireplace. He was mildly amused at the scene unfolding before him, but Bonnie could tell by his posture that he was waiting vigilantly for Klaus' orders.

"Now that we are more comfortable, let's talk about why you are here."

"Yes, I'd like to know that _very_ much seeing as you practically forced me," Abby barked, barely containing her ire.

Bonnie threw her a look. She sensed her mom would, at some point during the evening, grab a fork and stab the Original in the eye, and while she would have liked to see that, she was more interested in hearing him out, because a scheming Klaus was never a good thing.

"I see that your mother is already angry at me. I would have thought she would be glad to see her daughter again…after so many years," he proffered with contrived sadness.

"_Don't_ play that game, Mikaelson," Abby snapped. "We both know this isn't about a family reunion."

"Cold words from a loved one. I think Bonnie deserves a bit more consideration," he argued, inclining his head towards her in acknowledgement.

"And I think you should leave my daughter out of it," Abby replied with rancor.

"I'm afraid I can't."

"What if I make you?"

"_Please_. A powerless witch is not exactly menacing," he jeered.

"Powerless or not, I can stand up against you. Just like I stood up against your father. He thought he was all-powerful too."

Klaus' expression darkened considerably and his fingers twitched on the armrest of his chair.

Bonnie cleared her throat. "I'd appreciate it if you two didn't talk about me as if I weren't in the room."

The Original turned towards her with a tight smile. "My apologies, love."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. Every time she heard that namesake, she wanted to gag. "_Love_". Something you never imagined or wanted to imagine coming out of the hybrid's mouth.

"Let's get something straight. _I_ get to choose what I get involved in and what I don't," she declared, eyeing Abby pointedly. "And you," she said, turning towards Klaus, "don't think that helping me find my mom gives you free pass at the coffins. I'm not revealing their location."

Klaus watched her for one long, uncomfortable moment before he wrenched his head away and signaled Tony. His right hand man walked briskly to the other end of the room and brought out a young woman dressed as a cocktail waitress. She walked up to the table with a bottle of something dark in her hand. She poured some of it into Klaus' flute. It looked thick and viscous and it took Bonnie a couple of moments to realize it was blood.

"Wanda is here to take your orders. Any specific drinks you'd like made? A refill, perhaps?" he asked, eyeing her empty glass.

Bonnie bristled, fighting a blush. "No thanks."

Klaus took a sip from his flute.

"Are you sure? She makes wonderful Bloody Marys," he grinned with red-tipped fangs.

"Listen to him. You'll be wanting a drink later," Tony muttered as he passed her by.

"Back to the matter at hand," she insisted.

Klaus waved Tony and Wanda away. The girl walked like a puppet on strings. Bonnie wondered briefly if the waitress would become dinner for the hybrid after this awful meeting came to an end.

"Like I said, you're not getting anything out of me," Bonnie persisted, pressing one finger down on the table cloth.

"What makes you think I want," Klaus paused, pressing the tip of his fingers to his lips, "to get anything out of you?" His devilish smirk twisted Bonnie's stomach unpleasantly.

"I –"

"Stop harassing her with your games," Abby interrupted crossly. She had her hand on her fork, just like Bonnie had predicted.

The Original lifted his glass to his mouth. "Games? I _never_ play games."

"Then tell us what you want," Bonnie demanded.

He set his glass down and wiped his lips with relish.

"Very well. I'm not interested to know where the coffins are. I don't want their location. I only want you to open the last one."

Bonnie blinked. The ground seemed to shift under her feet. The heat from the fireplace turned into a damp chill.

"You _want_ the coffin to be opened," she repeated numbly.

"Of course."

"But – you gave Stefan the impression that that was the last thing you wanted."

Klaus grinned. "Naturally."

"Why?"

"_Why_?" he echoed amused. "Why should one ever reveal one's true intentions?"

Bonnie sighed, throwing her hands in the air. "I forgot that everything with you is a power play. Why are you revealing your intentions _now_?"

"Because I believe you and I are on the same side."

Bonnie laughed. "Are you _serious_?"

"Deadly so. We both have something in common, you see."

"What could that possibly be?"

"A rather pesky doppelganger we can't get rid of."

Bonnie's eyebrows shot up instantly. "What are you talking about? I don't want to get rid of Elena –"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I said _can't_, not won't. And you truly can't get rid of her. She is like the plague, unfortunately. And I have lived through several of those, so I should know."

Tony snorted behind them. He tried and failed to sober up when Bonnie shot him a look.

"Oh, yes, I know you love her," Klaus continued in the same disdainful fashion. "Everyone in this town seems to, for some obscure reason. But I _don't_. And I particularly _don't_ love having to mind her pointless existence just to ensure my hybrids survive. She's not only extremely fragile and feeble-minded, but she is also worshipped by those two blundering idiots who would turn her into a vampire at the drop of a hat. Why they would wish to prolong that dull creature's lifespan is beyond me, but I stand to lose a great deal by depending solely on that brat."

Bonnie was startled by Klaus' impassioned speech. She wondered how Stefan and Damon would react to such an unflattering description. She bit her lip and looked down at her plate to hide a small smile. She'd never heard anyone rail so adamantly against Elena and it secretly amused her. She knew deep down that her friend was not a "brat", but for some reason, it was refreshing to hear him call her so. Someone was not impressed by her, for once.

"I think I'm beginning to understand where you're going with this. You don't want Elena to be your blood bank."

"Good. And _you_ don't want that either. I want to be able to make hybrids on my own. You want to give that Petrova scamp her freedom. I am fueled by practicality, and you, by morals. But we may come to an agreement."

Bonnie knew she wouldn't like the next part. The idea that Elena could finally be free of Klaus' terror was too good to be true. There had to be a catch.

"What sort of agreement?" Abby intervened, shifting wary looks between the two.

"You scratch my back, I scratch yours," Klaus replied, eyes still locked on Bonnie.

"Who is in that coffin, Klaus?" Bonnie asked after a pause.

"The woman who used a doppelganger's blood to turn me and my family into vampires. An Original Witch."

Abby gasped. "Esther. Your mother."

"Indeed. You two would have gotten along splendidly. You're both neglectful caregivers and unreasonably short-tempered."

Abby meant to protest, but Bonnie interrupted her. "You want to awaken her. Why? And what does it have to do with Elena?"

"My mother mixed the doppelganger blood with mine when she made me into who I am. Thus, the hybrid is conditioned by the doppelganger. She can undo this spell. She can make Elena unnecessary to me. But only if she is...brought back."

Bonnie chewed on her lip in thought. "Would she agree to this if she were?"

Klaus smiled. "I have ways of coaxing her."

"Would she be a threat to anyone?" Bonnie pressed on.

"Bonnie, you're not actually considering this!" Abby exclaimed with outrage. "Waking up an Original Witch! There are a thousand consequences! Not to mention opening the coffin alone might destroy you!"

"You forget I'm not so easily destroyed," Bonnie retaliated. "I've taken on Originals before."

Klaus beamed proudly. "She _has."_

"And you're willing to take that risk?"

"The display of concern is touching, _truly_, but I'm afraid you have little say in this," he spat, eyeing Abby with vexation.

"Then why am I here if I don't have a say?" Abby shot back.

"Simple. The spell keeping the coffin sealed is a generation spell. It requires two witches related by blood to open it. Preferably, a mother and a daughter."

Bonnie sighed. "That's not going to work. Abby lost her powers."

"Thanks to my bastard father, yes. But that is a _small_ predicament. A witch never loses her magic. It only needs strong motivation to come out," he replied serenely. "And despite evidence to the contrary, your mother does care for you. Don't you, _Abby_? You wouldn't let your daughter do this alone, would you?"

Bonnie could see her mother was at war with herself. Klaus had her right where he wanted. It pained Abby to go against her better instincts, but it pained Bonnie even more to know that the woman who had given birth to her needed to be persuaded to help her.

She should have been more furious with Klaus, but he struck a good bargain. One where her friends got to live another day and he left town for good with his hybrids. After all, Elena was the only thing keeping him here, wasn't it?

"I will help my daughter whatever way I can," Abby sighed, looking at Bonnie with sad, pleading eyes. "But I hope she makes the right choice and walks away from this."

"Well, Bonnie, what will it be? Will you _walk_ _away_?" he asked, leaning forward, his eyes glinting with secret provocation. She knew what he was doing. He was taunting her, trying to get her to commit to it just to show him she _could_.

"If I open the coffin, you can ensure that your mother will perform the right spell to free my friend?"

"I give you an Original's word."

"I don't know if that's worth much."

"Give me the chance to show you, then."

His stare practically burned through her retina. She looked away. "I'm ready for that drink now."

* * *

"You made the right choice," Tony winked at her as he led her mother back to the car.

"Uh-uh…probably made a deal with the devil," she muttered under her breath.

"The devil? I don't know if I should be flattered or offended."

_Speak of the devil._

Klaus stood in the foyer with his hands crossed over his chest and a devious smile playing on his lips.

She couldn't tell if it was all an act, or if he was just genuinely amused by her all the time. She preferred the former.

"You do know that if you decide to stab me in the back I will get _very_ angry, don't you?"

"I have seen you angry and it's a rather fetching look."

"I'm serious, Klaus."

"So am I."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. She took a step closer to him and jabbed her finger into his chest.

"You can stop it with the empty flattery. I've already agreed to your terms."

Klaus grabbed her finger. "Is that what you think this is?"

Bonnie scoffed. "What else could it be? I know you. You're only interested in one thing and that's power."

For a brief moment, something like a shadow flickered across his eyes, but it was gone before she could take a better look.

He cleared his throat, sidestepping her on the way to the door. "I don't need to tell you that the Salvatores are to know nothing of our little arrangement."

Bonnie was surprised by the change of subject, but she didn't let it show.

"It would be a lot easier if they did, though."

"No, it would not. They are unpredictable and foolish. And they present a risk."

"What risk? You said it yourself. They," Bonnie winced, "_worship_ Elena. If they could ensure her safety forever, they would. They'd be more than okay with you severing ties with the doppelganger blood."

Klaus chuckled. "Yes, until one of them decides they know better and turn her into a vampire. Or Stefan thinks up a plan to save Elena _and_ prevent me from making more hybrids. Those two can never be trusted. You know why?"

Bonnie shook her head.

"Because they are in _love_," he spat with disdain. "And you cannot reason with people who are diseased like that."

"Diseased?" Bonnie echoed.

"Look at your own mother. Her semblance of love for you is preventing her from doing what she wants. She is _weak_. If that is not a disease, I don't know what is."

Bonnie bit into her cheek. "You have a bleak way of looking at the world, I'll give you that."

"Centuries of experience have confirmed my vision."

Bonnie swallowed. "So, Stefan and Damon are not to be trusted. But I _am_?"

Klaus nodded. "Your head is clear, Bonnie. If I only want power, you only want justice. We are uncorrupted, you and I."

Bonnie wanted to laugh. How was _he_ uncorrupted? How was _she_?

"That's not true. You said it yourself. I love Elena. And I love my friends. And I love my town. That love makes me strong. It's not a disease."

Klaus chuckled and pulled a strand of hair from her face, twisting it between his fingers. She was reminded of the apparition in her bedroom doing something similar only a night before. Her stomach clenched and she fought to stay still and not run away.

"You haven't truly been diseased yet, love," he replied, his eyes dwelling on the fall and rise of her chest. "You will know when you are."

Bonnie frowned. She wanted to say she knew what he meant, that she had felt all the complexity and ugliness and hardship of love, but somehow her mouth would not form the words. A fading image of Jeremy still dwelt in her heart. She was becoming accustomed to its wear and tear.

"But let us hope you and I will never fall into such folly," he concluded, placing a hand on the small of her back and guiding her towards the exit.

* * *

Bonnie gasped.

She was wrenched from her sleep by the murmur of a soft voice in her ear. It felt like honey and shards of glass.

She opened her eyes. The shadows on the ceiling resembled teeth. Everything was still dark and quiet, but her blood rushed to her veins with a thunderous noise.

"Trouble sleeping, love?"

He was sitting next to her on the bed again, barely a breath away.

Bonnie rolled over and tried to get out of bed, but he wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her back.

The apparition smiled a sinister smile. "Trying to run from me? What a pointless exercise."

"You won't be in my head forever," she spat, refusing to meet his glimmering eyes. "Your blood will fade."

"If you are so sure of that, lie back down and sleep."

Bonnie was disturbed by how real it felt, his touch. His fingers gripped her wrist with the same condescending entitlement Klaus would have certainly exhibited.

"With you watching me? Not a chance."

"Then I will only listen. You talk in your sleep. In fact, you mentioned something about a disease."

_"Don't."_

"Then what will you have me do?"

"How about leave and never return?"

His laugh made the skin on her back rise in little ridges. "That is one thing your mind won't allow."

Bonnie realized it would be quite hard to get rid of him in the following days, seeing as her thoughts were occupied with him and the coffin.

"_Fine_. I'm going downstairs."

She grabbed her pillow and duvet and silently crept out of her room, hoping that Abby was asleep and not lingering downstairs. It was strange knowing that the "parent" bedroom was actually occupied for once.

Thankfully, the living room was empty.

She threw herself on the couch and closed her eyes, urging her mind to shut down and rest.

"I'll be here when you wake up," he promised, never too far away.


	4. the truth

_A/N: I promised I'd try to write as much as possible, and voila! Thank you so much for your reviews, I didn't expect so many kind comments! You're all lovely. Thanks to **Guest1** (thank you, yes, Klaus is a deviant bastard so you know he's always got something up his sleeve, but we'll see what happens when Bonnie gets involved further), **Guest2** (same here, I was so sad when they didn't end up together, it was the first ship I started shipping on TVD), **Guest3** (wow, thank you, that's wonderful to hear! I'm glad you like my unimpressed Klaus and the story), **LeilaniStar, ZombieSavior, Gabby** (so glad you like him!), **Anastasia-G, bluemagicrose, leni18, Red** (thank you, that's so nice to hear! I'm glad you're already liking it so much)._

_Hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie pushed her spoon inside her cereal bowl without much enthusiasm. Breakfast with her biological mother after more than a decade of no contact should have been more emotional. More _something_.

Instead, it was just boring. She had to sit and listen to Abby rant about healthy food choices for half an hour (apparently she only had one banana in her fridge and ate too much sugar; case in point, the _Cap'n Crunch _she was having right now) and then another half on the need to "keep safe" from Klaus Mikaelson. The two subjects didn't mesh that well.

Grams had liked to nag her too, but she had been warm and personal about it. She'd always had a secret smile at the corner of her lips, even when she was mad at her. Abby was a stranger, smile or no smile. Bonnie could make herself think this person had a say in her life, but she couldn't make herself believe it.

Yet, deep down, something tugged at her heart whenever she noticed how much she looked like her, how much this woman resembled her in a basic way she couldn't deny. Like looking in the mirror and catching an angle of yourself you'd never seen before.

"...and I'm sure Rudy has no idea what you're up to half the time. Your father has always been great at managing his political life. Not so much his personal one. If he knew how many times you put yourself in danger..."

Bonnie rubbed her forehead. "I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Dad. Every time he comes home he gives me a good lecture on boys, low-cut jeans, drinking and oh yeah, sacrificial magic. He never skips that one."

Abby arched her eyebrows in surprise. "You've certainly got a mouth on you. I suppose you got that from me."

Bonnie smiled sadly. "I got it from Grams."

They were both silent for a moment, either because the memory was too painful or because it couldn't truly bring them together.

"If Sheila had been here," Abby said at length, "she would have known what to say. I'm not very good at this. I just know she would have never allowed this to happen."

"And what exactly happened?"

"What happened is that you shook hands with our worst enemy. The Mikaelsons tortured witches, owned them, treated them like objects half the time. And out of the bunch, Klaus is by far the cruelest."

Bonnie groaned. "I'm not binding my life to him or something!"

Although, to be fair, she still had to look over her shoulder to make sure his apparition wouldn't suddenly rear its ugly head when least wanted. Abby still knew nothing about the blood connection and Bonnie liked it that way.

But it meant next to nothing anyway. Blood, even hybrid blood, went away at some point. Klaus would only really be in her life for a temporary amount of time. His days in town were practically numbered. Soon he would be out of Mystic Falls and out of her life forever.

"You might as well. You think it ends with one deal? He'll ask for something else after that. And then some more. Once an Original is in your life, he's there to stay."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You're being overly dramatic."

"I'm being realistic. I see history repeating itself."

Bonnie rose and dumped her bowl in the sink, turning on the tap. "What would you have me _do_? If I don't help him, he'll still be a threat to everyone I know and love. He'll still _be_ in my life. The only way to get him out is to give him incentive to leave. That's what I'm doing."

Abby held her head in her hands and looked out the window like a sulking teenager. Bonnie put the clean bowl in the cupboard like the patient mother. It was funny how the roles were reserved.

_Actually, maybe it's not that funny_, Bonnie realized.

"I know you think you're doing what's right, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid you're going to end up getting hurt and I won't be able to prevent it. I understand why you don't believe me. I do. Maybe – maybe it's time I told you. You're old enough to know and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least try..." Abby trailed off, fingering her necklace with apprehension.

"What are you talking about? Tell me what?"

But their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Bonnie froze with her hands lathered in soap. Millions of bad scenarios started running through her head, ranging from Elena finding out what she'd done to Stefan and Damon paying her a visit to stop her. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with it, but she grabbed the kitchen knife just in case, and walked up to the entrance with her heart in her throat.

"Look at you, love. Not a day's gone by since our agreement and you're already poised to kill."

She didn't have to turn her head to know Klaus was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her.

"I really don't need you in my head right now," she muttered under her breath and swung the door open.

"Whoa. Not a morning person I presume," Tony joked, looking down at her knife with surprise.

"Oh. Thank god it's you." Bonnie sighed with relief.

"Always good to know I'm in your prayers."

"Don't push it."

"So, making breakfast?"

"You just missed it."

"No worries. I have mine waiting in a warm bag," he replied with a shit-eating grin.

Bonnie was beginning to regret the relief. Maybe her friends ganging up on her with judgmental remarks was better than hearing a hybrid describe his diet.

"So listen, I'm still on mother-daughter duty today. Klaus' enemies are your enemies now. Which is...practically everyone in town."

Bonnie looked past him at the sparsely populated street.

"Shh. Don't talk so loud."

"Afraid your pals will hear you?"

"I'm trying to keep this whole thing a secret."

"Boss isn't really someone you keep a secret, if you know what I mean. The whole town saw him at Homecoming -"

Bonnie groaned, knowing she'd live to regret the next move.

"Just come inside. It's not safe to talk out here."

If Tony was startled, he hid it well. He stepped over the threshold happily, almost like he was part of the household already.

For some reason, Bonnie couldn't picture him attacking her or being much of a threat. The decision to let him in seemed harmless. She had no idea why she harbored this illusion. Tyler had also seemed incapable of harming her. And she'd known Tyler since kindergarten. Meanwhile, Tony was a two-day acquaintance whom she was willing to allow into her home just because it _felt_ okay. Something was not right with her. But lately, caution had been thrown in the wind for the sake of efficiency.

"So, I'm guessing the biggest threat right now is those Guido numskulls."

Bonnie coughed to cover her short fit of laughter. Hybrids seemed to have a knack for creative slurs.

"Well, they're in charge of the coffins, yeah. But Esther's is held in a separate location. So I'd just need them away from that spot."

"Is killing them off the table?"

"Yes," she confirmed sternly.

"Are you sure? Because I can make it look like an accident."

"_Bonnie_? Did you just invite the hybrid into your house?"

Abby looked like she'd swallowed a whole lemon, but to her credit, she tried to keep her tone civilized.

"My home, my rules, Mom."

"Is that how it works around here -"

"Served me good so far."

"Hey, Bennett family," Tony chimed in, clearing his throat. "Let's focus here. I'll be out of your hair soon. You need me to distract the Salvatores so you can open the coffin, yes?"

Bonnie nodded her head reluctantly. "Their presence would definitely slow things down. They don't want me to open the coffin yet, and if they knew it benefits Klaus in some way, they'd oppose it."

Abby threw her a look that seemed to say, _Why aren't __**you**__ opposing it?_

"Right. Well, I don't know much about them, except they both have really effeminate names. So what would constitute a distraction?"

Bonnie knew the answer to this one. It was almost too easy. And too hard. How could she take advantage of a friend, even if it was for her own good? She sighed, getting ready for the second big regret of the day.

"You were in the room when Klaus mentioned Elena Gilbert, right?"

Tony winked. "Gotcha. I'm on it."

"_Wait_. You can use her, but you _can't_ harm her. I forbid you to do that, understood?" Bonnie demanded, stepping up to him in her most menacing pose. It involved placing her hands on her hips.

Tony frowned. "That...leaves me with limited options."

"Figure it out. You're supposed to be resourceful. I'm sure you're just as good at keeping someone alive as you are at killing them."

"I take offense. I wouldn't kill her. I'm not an idiot. I know she has to stick around until Esther does the spell. I'd just carve her face a little bit."

"I said _no_."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Boss is the one who gives orders around here."

"Your _boss_ asked _me_ for help, so the way I see it, you answer to me too," she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. But her domineering expression softened presently and she added, "However, I don't want to force you, like he does. So you can choose to follow my plan or you can choose to stand by and let me figure this out on my own."

"I appreciate the leeway. But how about we mix things up and stake the Guidos while the girlfriend has to watch? That way, we kill two birds with one stone."

Bonnie smiled.

"If you _do_ choose to follow my plan and you suddenly get an urge to _mix things up_, remember that my magic can turn you into little ashes."

Tony contemplated her for some moments before turning to Abby with a grin.

"Good luck trying to ground this one."

* * *

Bonnie was perusing through the Grimoire to get a better handle of the generation spell, when her phone started ringing. In the deep crevices of the Lockwood cave it sounded like a trumpet.

Abby was sitting in a corner, eyes closed, forehead wrinkled in concentration as she tried to gauge the spirits locked within her. That she didn't open her eyes when Bonnie's ring tone erupted was probably a good sign. Bonnie knew she'd have to give her a hand at some point, but dwelling on the minute theoretical details of a spell sounded like a better idea than bonding with Abby in the solitude of a cave.

"Hello?"

"Bonnie, where are you? I've been calling for ages! Are you in a no coverage area?!"

"Care, slow down. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that Elena is missing and no one knows where she is! Matt and I searched everywhere. Damon and Stefan have gone haywire! They're at Klaus' place - don't ask me how that happened - and I have this bad feeling they're not coming out of there in one piece and we could really, _really_ use a witch and a friend right about now."

Bonnie had to take a deep breath to calm her shaking hands.

"Don't worry, I'm going to do a locator spell and find her." She was surprised with how good that lie actually sounded, but considering she was wracked with worry anyway, maybe it wasn't lying.

"Where _are_ you? I checked your house but there was no one there."

"I'm – I'm not in Mystic Falls right now."

"_What_?"

_Okay, Bonnie, think. Think fast. Make something up._

"I drove out to see Jeremy. I know, it's a bad idea, but I had to."

There was complete silence for a while on the other end.

"Oh, Bonnie. We're gonna have to have a chat about exes and the stupid things we do for them when we're not thinking straight, but right now, I need your help. How fast can you get back here?"

_Thank all the gods in heaven she bought it._

"I guess in an hour or two."

"Please, hurry up. Elena could be in danger and I'm practically freaking out here alone."

"I know, I'm -"

Bonnie almost dropped the phone. She heard clumsy footsteps down the tunnel. Tony waltzed into the cave with Elena on his arm.

"- freaking out too," she finished, hanging up.

Tony raised one hand up defensively. "Before you lose your cool, you should know your friend's just dandy."

And she _was_. Elena Gilbert was smiling. Not just smiling, more like _beaming. _She held onto Tony's biceps like she was about to fly away.

"Oh my God, is this your hangout? It looks amazing. Are these your band mates?" Elena asked, looking up at him with a pair of adoring eyes.

Bonnie had to click her jaw shut. She had never witnessed such a...peppy Elena Gilbert before. It was completely unnerving.

"Is that lady in the corner on drugs? Or is she getting ready for the concert?" Elena asked, pointing at Abby's silent, meditating figure.

"You have got to be kidding me," Bonnie gritted her teeth, balling her palms into fists. When she had agreed, for safety's sake, to tell Tony about the Lockwood cave - with Esther waking up, the secret location wouldn't be secret anymore anyway - she had not imagined he would do something like _this._

"You said not to hurt her. So I didn't. I may have compelled her into thinking I'm a famous rock star and she's my loyal groupie, but other than that..."

"And you brought her _here_?"

"Where else would she be safer? Besides, I thought you might enjoy her like this," Tony teased, pushing Elena forward.

The doppelganger bounced towards her with a drunken smile. "Am I part of the group now? Am I famous too?"

"Um. Sure thing, Elena."

"You know my name! I feel so honored! Can I have your autograph?"

Bonnie had to admit the whole thing was pretty surreal. Especially since the dynamic between them had always been …very different from this, to put it lightly.

"You want my autograph."

Without warning, the doppelganger lifted her shirt, revealing her bare skin.

"You can write it on my stomach!"

Someone else had already written his name there in black sharpie.

Bonnie threw Tony a withering glare.

The hybrid sighed. "_Fine_. I may have reduced her mental capacities and gotten her a bit drunk, too. But that's an average day in a teenager's life."

"Remember the whole magic turning you into ashes thing?"

"Well...I can see why you'd consider this _mixing things up_."

Bonnie sighed. She needed all the patience in the world to deal with him.

"Just get her into one of the tunnels and keep her there. And preferably don't sign any other parts of her body!"

"Gotcha. But FYI, you're no fun."

* * *

"You realize we're going to kill your entire family."

Klaus moved his palette into his right hand and rubbed a finger over the black edges of a cloud.

"Mm. Do you think this is a shade too dark?"

Damon Salvatore stepped further into the room, knuckles white with rage. "I don't think you understand. We're going to dump the coffins in the Pacific."

"You're right. It's not too dark, but it needs a touch of light blue to balance the spectrum."

"Stop pretending you can't hear me."

Klaus dabbed his brush into the blue dollop of paint and traced short lines around the cloud. "It's you who can't hear me. I asked your opinion on color. Perhaps you're not very partial to art."

Damon growled and rushed towards the chevalet, but Stefan placed a warning hand on his shoulder.

"Ah. One of you isn't an outright simpleton, it seems."

"You suddenly don't care about them, huh?!" Damon demanded, fighting his brother's hold. "I can _make_ you care!"

Klaus walked over to the table where he kept his tubes of paint and, caressing the edge of a small spatula placed on top of a stack of papers, he rolled it swiftly between his fingers and threw it with precision at the vampire's neck.

Damon clutched at his throat and collapsed on the floor in a flood of curses.

"Now that Romeo is down, perhaps I may speak to Hamlet without interruptions," he teased, giving Stefan a knowing smirk.

"Don't think my brother's threats aren't my threats, Klaus," Stefan warned, walking up to him boldly.

"No, but I can sense you…doubting yourself. You want to get rid of this burden, don't you? Carrying those coffins around must be rather unpleasant. They weigh a soul down."

"Give us Elena back first."

"I keep telling you I know nothing of her whereabouts."

"And I say that's bullshit."

"I see you've set your mind on finding me the culprit," Klaus said, sighing for dramatic effect.

"I have."

"Well, then, I suppose you must throw my brothers and sister into the sea and be done with it."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "Just like that?"

Klaus smiled. "Just like that."

"So, you're that heartless. You're willing to sacrifice them without a single regret."

The Original turned back to his painting. He gave a bitter smirk as he crisscrossed the inside of the cloud with black.

"Oh, Stefan. You have no idea."

* * *

Bonnie could hear Elena singing an out-of-tune rendition of "Born To Be Wild" in one of the caverns below, while Tony clapped his hands encouragingly.

"Keep it down in there! No one's supposed to know she's here!"

The sound died off gradually, but Tony kept snickering like an idiot.

Bonnie sighed and placed her hands in her mother's palms again. Abby scrutinized her face with a bit too much motherly concern.

"I know, I know, it's _my_ fault for bringing him along," Bonnie grumbled under her breath.

"Actually, I was going to say that you have a lot more patience than me. I – I would've probably given up by now."

Bonnie coughed. "Oh. Right. Thanks. Well, it's only been two hours."

"Do you think it's going to work?"

"It has to."

They closed their eyes once more and started chanting over the coffin.

It was not going very well. Bonnie's magic kept tugging at her mother's, trying to coax it out, but it was like getting a solid object through the thin cracks of a wall. Her mother's face was wrinkled with effort.

Bonnie breathed out and stopped chanting. They stood in silence for some moments.

Abby rubbed her fingers against Bonnie's knuckles. "Your hands are so big." She chuckled sadly. "You used to be such a small thing. I could put both your little fists in my palm."

Bonnie smiled awkwardly. "Oh."

"I loved playing with them when you were tiny. You kept running away, offended. I think even at that point you wanted to be a mini-adult. You've always been precocious."

Bonnie felt herself relax a little. "How do you still remember that stuff?"

Abby frowned. "How could I forget?"

Bonnie felt the cracks in the wall grow wider. A bit of her magic slipped through.

She gasped.

"Mom, I think –"

" –it's working," Abby finished for her, eyes wide and hopeful. "Maybe we just have to keep going."

"Keep telling me stuff…stuff about us."

Abby smiled. She started on all the memories she remembered of baby Bonnie. The wall kept getting more and more fissured. Bonnie could feel her magic getting through.

"…and before I could catch you, you fell off the stool and broke your tooth. It fell right out of your mouth on the floor. But you know what? You just got up and started laughing."

Bonnie chuckled. "Sounds like me."

For the first time in a long time, they were bonding, _really_ bonding. Bonnie knew this was all for a spell, but maybe it could go on, after that.

Abby was now telling her about her third birthday and how she had asked for a puppy and when they didn't get her one, she didn't even complain or cry. She shrugged and decided to go out and get one for herself.

"You were one independent three-year old, that's for sure. And you were so patient and determined, even then."

"I must've been cuz Dad had to get one for me just to get me to quit. But that was," Bonnie stopped short. _After you left_, she had almost said.

Abby's smile faded slightly. "You can say it, Bonnie."

"I – I want you to know I got over it. You leaving."

"No, you didn't. You shouldn't _have_ to get over it," Abby sighed. "You have every right to stay mad."

"That's the thing. I don't want to stay mad," Bonnie muttered, looking down at their entwined fingers. "I want closure."

Abby bit her lip. "I know. You deserve that much."

"This morning, you were going to tell me something. You said I was old enough to know. What was it, Mom?"

"I... it doesn't matter now. I will tell you later, when this is behind us."

"How about you tell me now?"

"It's – it's not the right moment. Besides, it's an ugly story."

Bonnie chuckled. "_Mom_. We're so close to getting the spell right. Maybe it's the perfect moment. Tell me. I can more than handle ugly."

"This is not the kind of ugly you can swallow."

"_Please_. I want to know."

Abby tightened her hold on Bonnie's hands, almost as if she were afraid her daughter would disappear.

"If I tell you, there's no turning back. You'll have that knowledge stuck inside you."

Bonnie squared her shoulders. "Try me."

Abby looked away for a moment. "I left after you turned three. You were the most wonderful little girl in the world. And I never really told you why I had to go."

Bonnie scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "But you did. Desiccating Mikael took its toll on you. You lost your magic. You…you didn't like who you'd become. I don't excuse it, but I can – I can understand it."

Abby smiled. "Yes, I didn't much like the 'new me'. I told you, the only way to defeat a monster is to become a monster yourself."

Bonnie frowned. "You think you were a monster for what you did to Mikael?"

Her mother shook her head. "No. It's the fact that I _didn't_ do it."

Bonnie could feel a storm brewing. "What do you mean?"

"Mikael came into town with the intention of finishing off the Petrova line. Elena was three. Your age. I couldn't let him do that." Abby paused. "The only problem was that when I met him, he was just the handsome new stranger in town. Only later would I discover what he was after. Too late."

"What are you saying?"

Abby took a deep breath. "I'm saying I was younger and stupid. I'm saying he was older, charming and dangerous. I'm saying he made my heart beat faster. I'm saying he – he made me believe he cared. I could have killed him, Bonnie. I could have done it. Instead, I only depleted him of blood. Because I was a coward. Because I didn't want him to die."

Bonnie almost broke away from her hold.

"No. No, that's not true."

Abby released a haggard breath. "Every day I wish it weren't. But it is."

Bonnie's hands had gone limp in hers.

"After that, I couldn't look your dad in the eye. I couldn't even touch you. I betrayed all of you. Worst of all, I couldn't tell myself I had no feelings for him. So I left. Because you and your dad didn't deserve this. You deserved better."

Bonnie was too stunned to speak or move.

"And I'm still living with that regret," Abby finished, tears rolling down her cheeks. "That's why I've been…the way I've been."

The cracks were gaping holes. The wall was torn down completely. Bonnie could feel her mother's magic rising inside her, embracing her own. She wanted to draw away. She wanted to put the wall back up.

But she couldn't. Not anymore.

"I think I got my magic back," Abby said, choking on a sob.

"Yeah," Bonnie said emptily. "You did. Let's - let's open the coffin."

"_Bonnie_."

"I can't do this right now."

"You have to believe me that I never meant for it to happen –"

"Stop."

"And if I could turn back the time, if I could prevent that mistake , I would do it a thousand times–"

"I said _stop_. Or I'll shout for Tony to come in here."

Abby opened her mouth, then closed it shut. She nodded her head in sorrow.

They began chanting the generation spell.

Soon, the coffin stirred and groaned. The lid was coming off slowly.

The two witches stepped back. When Bonnie let go of her mother, she felt relief.

The woman that lifted herself from the casket looked young and beautiful, despite the lines of age on her face. Esther rose from her sleep as if she'd only gone to bed hours before. She looked around the cave with disdain. Then her eyes fell upon Abby and Bonnie.

"Bennetts! At my bedside! How ironic."

She sounded neither upset nor surprised. She extended her arms, expecting them to help her get up.

But when Abby and Bonnie touched her hands, they both fell down in a deep sleep.

Esther hummed under her breath and walked out of the cave.

But Tony was ready at the other end of the tunnel with Elena in tow. He held the doppelganger's neck between his hands.

"Not so fast, Mama Mikaelson. You're coming with me quietly, or the Petrova gets it. And if you think of using your magic on me, think again. I compelled Elena to kill herself if you harm me. She's got a dagger in her shirt pocket and she's going to use it. Aren't you darling?"

Elena, who stood in his arms without putting up much of a fight, nodded her head obediently.

Esther pursed her lips, but dropped the hand she had raised against him.

"You didn't think all this up by yourself. This reeks of Niklaus."

Tony grinned.

"Boss pays his regards."

* * *

Her head was being hammered in mercilessly. Each bump made her skull rattle. She opened her eyes. She was leaning against a window. A seatbelt was placed over her chest. Bonnie was sitting in her car. And Abby was driving.

"Esther is alive and well. She's at the Family Mansion. Tony called to tell me. I…I let you rest a bit more."

Bonnie rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was almost afraid to search her mind and remember what had happened. Sadly, the memory was there, waiting for her to get a grip on reality.

The silence was unbearable. Abby's body was tense, her shoulders hunched over the wheel.

Bonnie leaned her head back against the window, even though it hurt.

"So all that stuff about Klaus…telling me to stay away from him, telling me I'm putting myself in danger…that was actually about you and Mikael," she said dryly.

Abby flinched. "I – I didn't want you to be deceived. Like I was."

Bonnie laughed bitterly. "You actually thought what happened to _you_ would happen to me. Like I would _ever _fall for that."

Abby cringed. "Do you think I don't know you're better than I ever was? Do you think I'm not grateful for that? But you're still young. And I have experience. Bad one, but it's what I have. I wanted to warn you. Because Klaus is not much different."

"_I_ am!" Bonnie protested.

"Yes. And I want you to stay that way."

Bonnie pressed her lips in a thin line. She wanted to forget the last few days. She wished she had never gone looking for Abby. She wished she had never gotten involved in the coffin business when Stefan asked her for help. She wished Tyler had never bitten her. She wished Klaus hadn't –

But she refused to think like her mother, in "what ifs".

"You said once an Original is in my life, he's there to stay. Is _he_ still in your life?" Bonnie asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Her mother was silent for a long time.

"No. He isn't. He's dead."

Bonnie looked out the window. Night was falling. And her mother was a liar.

Maybe Klaus was right. Maybe love, this kind of love, was a disease.

_It will be over soon_, she told herself. _Klaus got what he wanted._ _And Abby served her purpose._ _They'll both leave and I'll be…I'll be better off._


	5. the ritual

_A/N: I should probably wait until tomorrow to update since it's very late here, but who needs sleep? Can't believe so many of you reviewed, thank you! Thanks to **Guest1** (I love Tony too, so I'm really glad he's becoming popular!), **Anastasia-G, LeilaniStar, brynnbrigham, Gabby** (thank you, I was a bit worried about it, glad it turned out all right!), **Guest2** (hope you like this one too), **Guest3** (very flattered you consider it among your favorites :) I'm glad you're also a Tony fan), **babya** (thank you), **Eddieizzie, Guest4** (thanks, that's lovely to hear!), **leni18, Red** (I'm happy you're intrigued, I hope you'll still be after this chapter too)._

_Hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

After such an eventful and upsetting evening, Bonnie only wanted to turn in and forget her troubles. Abby had respectfully decided to spend the night at the Mystic Falls Inn and Bonnie had silently thanked her. The last thing she wanted was to hear her mother's explanations.

Maybe under different circumstances she could have better understood where Abby was coming from, but right now, her moral compass was not willing to budge.

She stepped inside the empty house, dropped the keys by the door and headed into the kitchen.

Besides not offering any healthy foods, her fridge was also bereft of alcohol. She was pretty sure her dad some old scotch in his private study, though.

The room was barely used. Dust had gathered on the bookshelves and the air was stale. But lo and behold, her dad's cabinet was not locked. There were three empty bottles inside, but the fourth had some remnant liquor that looked like liquid amber. Delicious.

She decided not to bother with glasses and drank straight from the bottle. Bad idea.

Her tongue was burning and her stomach hurled in protest. She took another gulp. Her head hurt.

"Underage drinking? Tsk, tsk."

_Of course._ He was the last nail in the proverbial coffin.

Klaus was sitting at her father's desk, leaning against the chair comfortably, an image that did funny things to her already upset stomach.

His fingers tapped on the surface rhythmically, almost as if he were playing a musical instrument. He was dressed in black – he always seemed to be. His hair was gelled back. Not a strand of it was amiss. He looked, well, annoyingly well.

It irked her. And he was supposed to be _her_ imagination.

Well then…

She narrowed her eyes at him and focused on his looks, envisioning a different Klaus in that chair.

Bonnie gasped. It worked.

He was now wearing a pair of casual slacks and a blue shirt, his curly hair unruly and unmade. He looked down at himself and chuckled.

"Pleasant change of scenery."

_Damn. He still looks good_, she thought with chagrin. Not that it mattered. She was just making an objective observation. His beauty was cold and it did not appeal to her, anyway.

"If my beauty is cold, why are you trying to make me look more approachable?" he challenged.

Bonnie grimaced. Since he was practically a product of her mind, he knew what she was thinking. It was like getting mad at herself. She hated this.

"I'm tired. I just want to have my drink and go to bed. Okay? I am _not_ thinking about you. I am not even contemplating the _idea_ of you. You do not exist."

He tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling. "Do you know that little game where you are asked not to think of an elephant, but you just can't help it?"

"That's _not_ that game."

"Isn't it?"

"You're going to disappear. Any moment now."

Bonnie grabbed the bottle and meant to head for the door, but he beat her to it and blocked the way.

"Move."

"That would be tricky, love. For I do believe you wish me to follow you. Otherwise, I would've just kept counting the cracks in the ceiling."

"Why would I want you to follow me?" she spat, trying to swerve past him, without much success.

"Perhaps you need a willing ear to listen. About your cheating mother."

Bonnie pressed her palms against his chest and pushed him aggressively. But she felt the thump in her own chest. She was hitting herself.

"Careful now. I'm only following your rather contradictory commands," he smirked, trailing a finger down the zipper of her jacket.

"Oh, shut up. You're enjoying this. Or some sick part of my mind is. Whatever was in your blood obviously made me ill."

"I saved your life."

"And gave me _this_ in return. I feel like Abby and Mikael are also your fault. I wouldn't have known about them if it hadn't been for you."

"Ah, so you _do_ want to talk about our devious progenitors."

"No! I never want to hear about that again. I almost wish you could compel me to forget it."

"Such melancholy in your eyes," he murmured, gazing into her face with concern.

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. "Oh, God. I don't want comfort for you! Why is my brain doing this?"

"Your mind is only trying to appease itself. Why don't you allow me to help you?"

Bonnie shook her head. She finally managed to walk past him, but she only made it to the stairs before he was on her again. One hand was placed on the banister, blocking her path.

"I am better than alcohol. Talk to me. You might even find I understand your dilemma."

Bonnie gaped at him. "Something is definitely wrong with me if I'm thinking _you_ can understand me."

"I am in the same position, aren't I?"

Bonnie's eyebrows scrunched in thought. "But the real Klaus, does he know that Mikael and Abby…"

The Klaus standing on her stairs remained silent.

"Of course. You _can't_ possibly know," she answered for herself.

"Well, if I had some idea of it," he said, inching forward, "I don't suppose I would be very pleased."

Bonnie felt she was growing a bit mad. She was practically talking to herself, but this apparition could somehow make her believe she was speaking to him. And what was worse, she _wanted_ to get out of her head. She _wanted_ him to be a real, distinct person, just so she could have someone to talk to.

_Ugh. No. You're half drunk and pathetic. _

But then, he did a strange thing. Well, maybe not _so_ strange, considering her fragile state of mind.

He sat down on the steps. He leaned his back against the stair rail and waited for her to sit down as well. Bonnie gulped. This was pretty surreal. More surreal perhaps than a giddy Elena Gilbert asking her to sign her stomach.

She sat down at the opposite end, leaning her back against the wall. She held her knees to her chest, watching him warily.

"This is so weird," she said, more to fill up the silence.

"Yes, my real self is probably dining on some innocent girl's entrails, but here I am with you on the family stairs, because you want to chat."

"I _don't_ want – hell, maybe I do. Not with you, though. But you're here…" she trailed off awkwardly, biting her lip.

"A strange breed of antagonist you are, Bonnie Bennett."

"I'm going to kill the real you someday. I know it. Just because I'm letting you walk out of Mystic Falls with your hybrids and your power intact, that doesn't mean I won't get you eventually."

Klaus smiled with delight. "That's the spirit, witch. But how would you go about killing me this time around? You must know I've taken precautions against your attacks."

Bonnie pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm… I'd have to take you by surprise. Hit you from where you least expect. Find your weakness."

He nodded in approval. "Good so far. But what weakness have I got?"

"You crave power too much? You need your hybrids? You…want your family back? All of these?" she wondered.

Klaus cocked his head to the side. "You don't really believe any of those is my ultimate weakness."

Bonnie frowned. "I guess not…but I feel like I'm close."

"And…would you get closer to find out?"

Bonnie knew this was her mind testing her, but the way the apparition had asked the question, she almost felt shivers run down her spine.

"No. Of course not. I don't want to be –"

_Abby_.

Klaus lowered his eyes, almost as if it was rude of him to have heard that name in her mind.

"You know what I think bothers you the most about this entire conundrum?" he ventured, stretching one leg down, while he kept the other up. He looked so casual and yet still so completely in control of himself. Even in her goddamn mind.

"Oh, joy. Enlighten me."

"You believe Abby truly loved Mikael. Foolishly, of course, but loved him, either way. Whereas, you don't believe he felt anything for her. You believe he used her, toyed with her, destroyed her."

Bonnie tightened her grip on her knees. She felt very small, all of a sudden. She really hated this awful connection between them.

"Maybe I do. It's the truth, after all."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "As far as _you_ know."

Bonnie couldn't believe her mind had doubts about this. It was quite obvious that Mikael had cruelly played with her mother's heart for his own amusement. Creatures like him and Klaus did things just because they could.

"I _know_," she retorted. "If he could have felt something for her, he would have done the right thing."

Klaus chuckled. "What _is_ the right thing, Bonnie Bennett?"

She had so many answers for that question, but none of them seemed absolute.

She put her chin on her knees and stayed quiet for a long time. Klaus simply watched her.

After a while, she got up and went to bed. He didn't follow her, this time.

* * *

"I am impressed with your plan, Niklaus. I always thought Elijah was the brains of the family. Clearly, I was deceived."

Klaus feigned a smile as he sipped from his bloody cup. Esther was sitting opposite him at the dining table, her own food and drink untouched. What was it about witches and rejecting sustenance?

It was good seeing his mother's insufferable condescension weakened for once. Her tone was light, but she was obviously bothered.

"I've learned from the best," he replied, toying with his knife, tracing patterns on the tablecloth.

"You've got them all playing your tune. Two Bennett witches, a doppelganger, several hybrids and two _very_ impulsive vampires. Stefan Salvatore thinks he is frustrating you, but he is actually obeying your design. You _want_ him to have the coffins, for you know that his hatred towards you is strong enough to make him reckless with them. _You_, perhaps, would not have the strength to decimate what is left of your family, but a broken vampire…Well done."

Klaus bowed his head with humility. "You honor me."

"I am proud of you. I despise you with all my heart, but I _am_ proud. I always knew you would amount to great things."

"Such candor. Perhaps you should save it for the rest of your children."

"Oh, you are truly ingenious, my dear Niklaus. You have tied my hands. For I cannot _get_ the rest of my children unless I release the doppelganger from you. That is what the Salvatores want. Once Elena has her freedom, they will give me the coffins."

She lifted her glass and threw him a hateful smile. "I am defeated."

Klaus cocked his head. "You do not _sound_ defeated. Is my dear mother concocting a plan of retaliation as we speak?"

Her smile widened. "Perhaps."

"Well, you shall have to think it through _after_ you've done what I want."

Esther drained her glass in one gulp. "Bring that Petrova bitch in here."

Klaus felt a sweet pang in his chest. He had missed this. He had missed his callous, corpse-treading mother. The apple had not fallen far from the tree.

Tony waltzed in with a disoriented Elena Gilbert still dangling on his arms, less euphoric, but just as affectionate.

Klaus watched his mother rise from her chair and approach the doppelganger with firm steps. Something was odd about it. His mother was too willing. This was too easy. Maybe she had one last trick up her sleeve. Maybe it was a trap.

Yet, he was ready to risk it. He had craved this for so long, he could not imagine failing now. He would kill everyone and everything if he had to endure one more misstep.

So he walked beside his mother and placed an arm around her shoulders. His hand reached her nape and parted the hair, resting his fingers on the back of her head. He dug his nails in her scalp.

"We struck a bargain centuries ago. Your children for one simple request. This is mine. And if you do not keep your word faithfully, I will sink my teeth in you and paint the sky with your blood. I will make sure sweet Bekah, noble Elijah, playful Kol and stern brother, Finn, watch the way I disgorge you. I have no pity. I have no heart. I will eat you, chew you and spit you out. If you trick me, you will only be tricking yourself. For I will follow you and haunt you and slaughter the world in my path."

Esther flinched at his words, but kept her cool even when his breath was falling down her neck.

"Remember, you don't _know_ me. I am of foreign blood. I am your mistake. I am your youth's sin. And I can undo you, Mother dearest."

Esther turned her head towards him. "My little wolf. You have no heart? How terrible you are. Are you truly barren? Is there _no one_ you hold dear?"

Klaus laughed a cold laugh. "Fret not. Soon, I will have more hybrids to keep me company."

"Pity. You are so handsome. So charming. So deadly. Any woman would be lucky." Her sarcasm bore something authentic, almost like she meant it.

"Many a woman _has,_ but she did not survive dinner," he commented, averting his gaze.

"Ah. What a dreadful existence, when everyone around you is a meal. But I suppose you've never fared well with the fairer sex. You always suspected they would betray you. Perhaps you simply cannot believe you can be loved. You are right, of course."

Klaus did not flinch. He removed his hand from his mother's scalp as if he had touched something vile.

Tony coughed in disapproval. As a loyal hybrid, he felt bothered when someone slighted Klaus, especially when the slight involved his master's ego and masculinity.

"That's a bunch of horseshit. Boss is loved. We all love him. And Bonnie Bennett hasn't betrayed him yet."

The silence that fell upon them was deafening, but the glare he received from Klaus was louder than church bells. His master was planning his certain death, yet he could not see what he'd done wrong. To Tony, defending him was like second nature.

Esther chuckled in disbelief. "Bonnie Bennett. You've taken a liking to one of your worst enemies. How very _you_. Suppose killing her would be the equivalent of flirting."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "You should mind your words before I mind them for you, _Omo."_

"When one lacks friends and loved ones, one naturally latches onto one's enemies," she spoke calmly.

Klaus smiled with forced blitheness and, yanking Elena from Tony's arms, linked her hands with Esther's.

"Get on with it. My patience is wearing thin."

He bit his own palm and let drops of blood fall on their hands.

"I see you've studied the magic."

Elena looked from Klaus to Esther with confusion, but Tony had made sure she would be oblivious to the danger.

"Is this the after-party?" she asked in a daze.

"Oh, poor child," Esther cooed, looking at her with pity. "So young, so stupid."

Klaus stood back and waited for her to begin chanting. He was ready for any tricks, any distractions. His body was poised for attack. So many years of waiting… he wouldn't let anything stand in his way.

Esther sighed ruefully once or twice before she began to weave the spell.

Elena started giggling as the magic seeped through and tickled her skin.

"This is…so cool…like taking mushrooms..." she trailed off sleepily.

Klaus' blood levitated in the air between them in solid drops, the consistency of ruby stones. Each drop burst into flame as Esther's chanting grew more intense.

Elena had stopped giggling. She was trying to pull away, but Tony was holding her back. He looked at his master with concern. Klaus did not deign him a single glance. He was mad at his indiscretion. Tony had to figure out a way to make up for his mistake.

The ritual lasted only minutes longer. By now Esther had worked up a fine sweat that aged her smooth face and revealed the years behind the facade. Her hands were shaking slightly. Klaus knew she was not quite as powerful as she used to be, and that she knew it too. Otherwise, she may have fought him harder.

"It is done."

Klaus felt no different. He had expected static, a storm, a change in the air. But it was anticlimactic, which he took as good news. Tony did not exhibit any changes either. It was too soon to tell, but everything seemed…normal.

"Time to put your words to the test," he said and signaled for the hybrids waiting in the hallway to bring forth the new sacrifices. "You had better pray it worked, for your own good."

Young men and women, taken from their homes, kidnapped from their jobs, stolen from their lives waited in tow to be turned into hybrids; this time, without the need of doppelganger blood.

Klaus called them forth and began the arduous process all over again.

Esther watched them with fascination and disgust. Soon, she would have her children. And soon, Klaus would be history. She had made sure of that.

* * *

The very first hybrid had survived the transition.

Now, he had to wait, to make sure it would last, to make sure the others lived on, too.

He had always hated this part. The suspension of time where nothing happened, nothing _was_. He was fed up with drinking blood, he was fed up with painting, he was fed up with torture.

He paced the length of his room, lost in troubling thoughts.

He was beginning to consider the future, what would happen next. By now, the Salvatores must have gotten their precious Petrova brat back and the coffins would be in his mother's possession soon.

Little that he cared.

She could wake them all and start a war, he was prepared. He knew his siblings' weaknesses, all of them. Rebekah would go first, although she was the sweetest. Finn, the stiff fool, after. Then Kol, the reckless bastard. And finally, Elijah, the brave and kind. They were characters in a tragedy and no one survived a tragedy.

He knew that Esther would not rally them against him easily. Only Finn was still faithful to her. In time, his siblings would disappear into the world again. In time, he would bite Esther and finish the ordeal.

_Why didn't I bite her now? After the ritual?_

He felt no love for her, no consideration. He wanted nothing to do with her. And yet, he had not killed her after she had stopped being useful.

Her words, although he tried to ignore them as mindless drivel, stung him in unexpected ways.

_Perhaps you simply cannot believe you can be loved. You are right, of course._

It was not the first time, nor the last, but somehow, people never tired of reminding him.

_When one lacks friends and loved ones, one naturally latches onto one's enemies._

Was that what he was doing? Was he letting this awful need cloud his judgment? Being loved was as bad as loving. Just another kind of disease, crippling and fickle. If you let yourself believe in it, you'd depend on it, like a child. No one craved to be an invalid.

He made hybrids to feel powerful and free, _not_ less alone.

And he was entertaining the idea of Bonnie Bennett for the same reason.

He grabbed a cup of blood, but when the lips touched the liquid, he put it down, nauseated.

He wanted to dine on fresh blood.

He would go for a chase tonight. And when the victim gave their last breath and the last drop extinguished on his tongue, he would feel sated.


	6. the invitation

_A/N: Back with another chapter. This time I'm not sleep deprived, which is an improvement. Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, I'm so happy you're reading along :) Thanks to **frickandfrack09, Anastasia-G, Guest1** (thank you, I like how she's slowly getting used to him too), **Gabby** (ah, yes, they would be such good friends those two! Tony could be his wing-man any day of the week), **Guest2** (good point :d ), **leni18, LeilaniStar, Red** (so happy you like the not-Klaus/Bonnie stuff, I'm partial to it too, I also think it gives Bonnie a chance to acquaint herself with him in her own way, before she deals with the real him :p), **negrobarc, Guest 3 ** and **bluemagicrose** (thank you for reviewing twice!)_

_Hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

The next morning Bonnie expected to open her eyes and find Klaus at the foot of her bed, watching her with that stupid, all-knowing smirk of his, but when she blinked the drowsiness away and looked around her room, she found it completely empty.

_Oh. _

She sat up and ran a hand through her tangled hair.

_Finally. Maybe that blood bond is gone for good. _

Bonnie recalled their conversation the previous night, how they had sat on the stairs and "chatted" like _almost_ normal people. That had been – not nice, but bearable. She suddenly felt less cheerful than she should have been.

_Are you hearing yourself? You're glad he's gone, okay? __**Glad**__._

She was. And with any luck, the real Klaus was gone by now too, along with his hybrids. He had presumably got what he wanted and would be off conquering the world.

_A bleak prospect since…I kind of live in this world. _

But she'd worry about that later. Right now she had to figure out if she should tell her friends what had happened and what part she had played in it. She preferred honesty over lies, as a rule, because secrets only ever led to broken friendships. However, she had to weigh in what was best for her friends. She doubted Caroline and especially Elena could swallow the fact that she'd worked with Klaus. Caroline was still in love with Tyler and would be horrified to know the person who had ruined Tyler's life had also gotten what he wanted because of Bonnie. As for Elena, if she ever found out that Bonnie gave the okay to Tony to practically kidnap her, she would lose her friend's trust forever.

It was tricky. All her life she'd tried to do the right thing _and_ make her friends happy and sometimes it was hard balancing these two acts.

_I want a holiday_, she thought, amused. _Or a party._

Then she remembered there was also Abby to deal with and she groaned in her hands.

_I definitely need some kind of distraction._

Then she heard it. There was a noise coming from outside her window. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed it before, but now it was becoming louder. A kind of commotion on the street.

She got out of bed and tiptoed to her window. The whole town was astir. Groups of people had gathered on street corners and were talking among themselves with an air of conspiracy. Neighbors called out to each other and whispered in each other's ears. They looked excited, if a little frightened, by whatever news had hit Mystic Falls. Bonnie wondered if there was another scandal afoot. Small towns thrived on gossip, but what they liked best was a scandal, something shocking and thrilling.

_I'll find out when I get to school_, she thought inconsequently.

But when she checked her phone, she saw she had missed a couple of messages and phone calls from Caroline.

_ORIGINALS IN TOWN. YES, __**PLURAL**__. CALL ME._

_KLAUS' FAMILY IS AWAKE, THIS ISN'T A DRILL! CALL ME!_

_KLAUS' SIBLINGS AT THE MANSION. CALL CALL CALL OR I'M GONNA COME OVER!_

Bonnie felt the blood rush in her ears. She dropped the phone.

_What the hell? He was supposed to be gone, not bring others __**here**__!_

What was going on? Klaus hadn't seemed eager to acquire his siblings' coffins or revive them, so what in God's name was he doing with them?

Unless…

Unless someone _else_ had done it for him? Could Stefan have been the culprit? She had to go find out.

* * *

Unfortunately, she had to settle for Mystic High to get more information on the "handsome new strangers" in town. She couldn't exactly skip classes and drive up to Klaus' Family Mansion. She wanted to keep her record clean…and she didn't have a death wish.

"Three guys and a girl. I think she's our age, but the guys are way older and really hot," Allison, a girl in Bonnie's Math class told her when she approached her locker.

"And you know this how?"

Allison shrugged. "Heard it from Darren whose Dad spotted them walking by the lake. And Chrissy also swears she saw one of them. This tall brooding guy wearing a three-piece suit. Super hot, of course, but she didn't have the guts to talk to him. I hope I run into him."

Bonnie bit her lip. "And…did you hear anything about Klaus?"

The town knew of Klaus by now, or had become somewhat accustomed to him ever since Homecoming when it had become clear he would not be leaving soon. He had glamoured, blackmailed and threatened so many people that no one knew _what_ to think of him, except that he was an eccentric foreigner.

"Just that they're all his family apparently, which is weird, cuz I can't imagine that guy not being alone in that mansion. He gives me the creeps."

Bonnie nodded her head in agreement. But it was his siblings that were giving her the creeps right now.

Someone tackled her from behind, momentarily throwing her off balance.

"Thank God! I thought I'd never find you!"

Caroline had her wrapped in a hug and Bonnie gasped as her friend almost shriveled up her lungs. Vampires sometimes forgot how strong they really were.

"Care –easy there."

"I was so worried! I thought those Original scumbags had done something to you! Can you believe _him_?"

"Who?"

"Klaus! This was his doing all along!"

Bonnie was suddenly very interested in her schoolbag and kept toying with its clasp. "Uh, yeah, what a bastard." _I'm a bastard too._

"Have you seen Elena? She's on _bed rest_. And she remembers absolutely nothing. God knows what that jerk did to her! But he knew _exactly_ how to force Stefan's hand. Stefan would've never handed the coffins otherwise. Of course, neither he nor Damon will talk to _me_ about it, like it's some big secret. Kaus really is the worst thing that happened to this place. Now we have to worry about four more Originals killing everyone."

Bonnie had to keep up with Caroline's impossibly fast speech as they walked to their History class. From what the vampire was saying, she could glean that no one knew about her involvement yet, or at least had no idea of the extent of it. The Salvatores would've been knocking down her door otherwise. And Elena...well, she'd have to check up on her later and hope that Tony hadn't caused any permanent brain damage.

_Oh, God, this is all my fault, isn't it?_

"Well, at least Elena is out of harm's way and no one's died…yet. Maybe he woke up his siblings so they could all leave Mystic Falls for good."

Caroline threw her an odd look.

"Just trying to see the silver lining here," Bonnie added guiltily.

"How is that a silver lining? And why are you being so calm about this?"

"I'm not! It's just that stressing out too much about it won't help anyone. You know I'm more of a doer than a talker. I'm gonna try and see what can be done."

Caroline huffed, but gave her a weak smile. "Sorry. You're the most reliable person I know. It's just that I feel like the whole town is more interested in the gossip and no one's seeing the danger."

"To be fair…half of them are probably compelled."

As they took their seats and opened their textbooks, Bonnie couldn't help the feeling that she was being watched, as if there was a presence in the room whose eyes were glued to her back. Caroline was paging through her book restlessly, already counting the minutes until they could get out of there. She seemed completely unaware of the foreign element.

Bonnie wondered if she was imagining things. She almost expected the Originals to come bustling through the door and attack them.

Thankfully, it was only Alaric. He entered the classroom and swept up the room with his eyes, his gaze resting on the two girls with concern. Bonnie gave him a reassuring smile and nodded her head, as if to say "yes, the town is slowly going to hell, but at least two of your supernatural friends are attending class".

He looked a little under the weather and just as in the mood to teach as they were in the mood to study, but he proceeded with his usual course and turned to the blackboard to write down the important dates of the lesson.

"So, last time we talked about the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877. Now we're going to talk about its consequences on the Ottoman Empire..."

Bonnie started taking notes diligently, finding some comfort in the boring routine. Caroline was still eyeing her as if she was acting a little bit _too_ normal under the current circumstances.

But if she acknowledged her friend's suspicion she really _would_ be suspicious, so she decided to play dumb.

"Now, the treaty of San Stefano, signed on March 3, 1878 by the two opposing forces also indirectly led to the creation of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria..."

"How _quaint_. An inaccurate history lesson about the Petrova strumpet's birthplace."

Bonnie's head snapped up at light speed.

He was leaning against the back wall, hands in his pockets, surveying the class with disdain and boredom. Bonnie had to clamp a hand over her mouth not to involuntarily shriek.

"Bonnie?" Caroline whispered. "Bonnie, are you okay?"

_No_, she wasn't. She thought she'd gotten rid of him. Now he was in her History class, making snide comments.

"Don't look so shocked. You _obviously_ called me here because you need an excuse not to listen to this drivel," he said, inspecting his knuckles indifferently.

"Bonnie, what are you looking at?" Caroline whispered furiously.

Bonnie turned her head around. "Um, Al – Mr. Saltzman? May I be excused to go the bathroom?"

Caroline was about to get up to go with her, but Bonnie placed a hand on her arm and whispered "witch business" as she passed her by.

That seemed to partially convince her, because the next thing she knew Bonnie was barging into the girls' bathroom and there was no well-meaning friend behind her.

No, she was completely alone. Except for -

"Interesting locale you've chosen. One might get ideas."

Bonnie glared at him. Klaus was inspecting himself in one of the mirrors, oblivious to her turmoil.

"Never do that again!"

"I'm sorry, is vanity only reserved for women?" he returned, arranging the cuffs of his jacket.

"I meant appearing in my class like a poltergeist!"

"Ah, then _you_ had better learn to master your attention span," he said with a wide grin.

Bonnie wanted to punch him, although she wasn't sure if she was mad at him for appearing in class or for just appearing.

"You're hardly mad about that," he said, reading her thoughts easily. "Rather, you're mad about... not being mad enough."

Bonnie furrowed her brows. "What are you even talking about?"

"Oh, only your contradictory psyche."

"Look, I don't have the patience or the _time_ for these small talks anymore. I thought you were _gone_. I thought this thing was _over_. Is hybrid blood the most potent thing in the universe or is it _never_ going to get out of my system?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow in amusement. "If you ask me, darling, which is just as good as asking yourself, I'd say it would be impossible for _anyone_ to get me out of their system."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I wish I saw you less as a smug bastard so you'd stop acting like one."

Suddenly, Klaus was approaching her in quick strides and Bonnie had to take a few steps back just to keep her balance. _Pfft_. She wasn't afraid or intimidated. Just that – the bathroom wasn't a very big place.

"Would you like me to act like _this_ then?"

His warm hand was on her jaw and before she could stop him, he had pushed her against the sinks, knocking her knees aside with his legs. His casual slacks and jacket had turned into a crisp blue suit that set off his hair and made her want to slap him but also maybe -

"Nope," she replied, gritting her teeth to remain still, "you're still a smug bastard."

Klaus smirked, his golden stubble reminding her of a lion. Not a pleasant comparison, since she was pretty sure she was the prey in this scenario.

"You'd rather see me as I am even when it doesn't suit you_,"_ he said, stepping back an inch.

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't. I have no idea what you're like. The real you is a mystery to me."

"Well…nonetheless, your imagination persists in trying."

Bonnie folded her arms in protestation. "My imagination is probably bored. And anyway, I didn't ask for any of this."

Klaus raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I mean this _whole_ thing, not just today."

"So why _have_ you called me today?"

Bonnie looked sideways into the mirror behind her. "I don't know. I don't understand my own head. I guess since...I can't talk to anyone else about what's happening, you'll have to do."

"I'm honored to be your last choice, but what about your _wonderful_ friends?"

"They can't know."

"Can't know that you're not the good little girl they thought you are?"

"Okay, I _don't_ think that," she snapped. "I don't think they think I'm a -"

She took a deep breath and counted back from ten. At this rate, she really was going to lose her mind.

"Relax, love. You are," he drawled, looking down at her with...amusement? Affection? "Good and little, that is."

She fumed. "I will choke you and I don't care if I suffer too."

Klaus chuckled. "Perhaps next time. What do you want to talk about?"

Bonnie sighed. "Well...your siblings, I suppose."

He tilted his head. "You believe I can illuminate you on the devil spawns I call family?"

_"No._ I mean you're not going to tell me anything new, are you? But it's worth discussing. Just, come on..."

She signaled for him to follow her further into the bathroom. If someone were to walk in she'd find Bonnie Bennett talking to herself like some kind of lunatic and…yeah, no.

She opened one of the stalls and let them both in. She realized this was an even smaller place to be trapped in with the likes of him, but it would have to do.

If someone had told her a week ago that she'd be stuck with Klaus Mikaelson in a bathroom stall at Mystic High she would have laughed her head off. Even though, technically, it wasn't him.

Still, he looked completely at home in the cramped space. He always seemed to dominate every place he found himself in. She was a bit jealous.

Their chests were almost touching. She drew a step back and glued herself to the wall, but he followed suit and leaned a hand against the spot above her head. She pretended not to notice.

"I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say you didn't wake them up," she started right off. The quicker this was done, the better.

"I agree," he replied instantly, his eyes boring into hers with absolute focus.

"Okay. I don't think you would have anyway. They're too much trouble for you. You like to work alone."

Klaus smiled. "I appreciate my solitude, it's true."

"Right. They'd just stand in your way. So, someone else did it…to spite you? Or harm you?"

She chewed on her lip, a bad habit she knew she had to quit, but couldn't exactly refrain from, when her mind wondered into unpleasant territory. Suddenly, she was invaded by images of his siblings all coming together to rip him to pieces.

Klaus cocked his head. "You seem worried. Does that prospect alarm you?"

"What? No! I'm worried for my town and my friends, not _you_."

Why did her mind keep playing this trick on her? She shook her head sternly as if to better guard her thoughts.

"Anyway, I don't think it was Stefan or Damon, because they probably wouldn't want your siblings on their hands, either. Besides, they got what they wanted."

Klaus nodded his head. "The Salvatores can't open a jar of pickles, much less my siblings' coffins."

Bonnie wondered if her psyche was really this mean concerning the Salvatores, or if that was simply how she imagined Klaus would react. It was difficult to draw a line between them.

"Maybe it was Abby," she whispered to herself. Her mother may have had motive. She had been pretty emotional after her confession. She might've done something reckless believing it was Klaus' fault.

Bonnie was startled when she felt a warm touch. His knuckles were under her chin, tilting it up.

"You'd have to speak to her to find out. I don't suppose you fancy that, love."

"Absolutely not."

"You know, if she _is_ the culprit, she probably thought she was doing the right thing by you. We are antagonists, after all."

"Yes, well, I don't require outside help to fight you. And neither do you."

Klaus smiled ruefully. "Are you indirectly praising my prowess? Well done."

Bonnie couldn't help smiling in return. "You're awful."

His eyes glinted with amusement. "Likewise."

Her smile vanished and so did his. An awkward silence settled between them, until Bonnie cocked her head to the side and asked,

"What about _your_ mother?"

* * *

Esther dragged her finger across a dusty line on the wooden panels. "You really _should_ keep this place better. The Mikaelson name can't survive like this. No matter, the ball will require extensive cleaning and redecorating. But, since you've already made so many new hybrids, I suppose we don't need to hire help, do we?"

Klaus sat very stiffly in his armchair by the empty grate. His brother, Elijah, had one hand on the back of his chair. Kol and Rebekah were lounged on the sofa, watching gleefully as their mother waltzed around the mansion as if she were mistress of the place. They threw him spiteful little glares and cutting smiles, as if to say "you're out of favor".

Little did he care.

Finn was perched by the mantelpiece, forehead resting on his hand. One might have thought he was thinking about something very intelligent, but Klaus knew his eldest brother had perfect the art of thinking about nothing at all.

He felt idiotic, just sitting there and waiting for it all to be over, but it was easier to just let them have what they wanted before they left. He had finally got what he deserved, an endless supply of hybrids readily made without doppelganger blood, and he feared nothing and no one anymore, if he ever had in the past. His clumsy siblings could not withstand his growing army for long. The house was swarming with them, all young and thirsty and unpredictable.

His family must have known it, and were doing the next best thing to harming him; _boring_ him.

He had expected vengeance. He had expected Rebekah to claw his eyes out for having put her to sleep against her will. Instead, she only slapped him and after he had hinged back his jaw, said sweetly,

"You allowed Elena Gilbert, of all _people,_ to dagger me. I had to miss my first Homecoming dance. I hope you rot in hell."

He had expected Kol to wrench out his entrails for depriving him of much needed entertainment for over a century. Instead, his little brother only chuckled and, wrestling him to the ground in an almost brotherly embrace, whispered in his ear,

"I saw some delicious little cheerleaders in town today. I can already see my name on their headstones. They'll say "death by too much pleasure" and next to it, a picture of me. Quite accurate, no? Also, you're a dick."

He had also expected his elder brothers to tear him a new one for causing them so much trouble in the span of three hundred years, in Finn's case and _months_, in Elijah's, but the most damage they had done were two _very_ uninteresting lectures on his behavior. Oh, and Elijah had stabbed him in the stomach with the fire poker.

But afterwards, they had all sat down and started preparing this god-awful ball his mother intended to give. It was so infernally dull, he'd rather they tried to attack him.

"Don't get your hopes up, darling," Esther had told him when she first announced the festivities. "I merely wish to celebrate the fact that my children are alive and well again. It's always been tradition to hold a feast to thank the spirits. And the Mikaelsons deserve no less. As far as I am concerned, you are here only for appearances' sake, but you are _not_ part of this family."

"I had better _not_ be," he muttered under his breath.

"And when this is over, we shall each go our own path, far away from the likes of you."

"Wonderful. I will help you pack," he retorted.

"Oh, Nik, such a spoil sport. You never could swallow parties, even back in the day. Although you pretended to be quite the charmer, I know you just wanted to lock yourself up in your study and paint," Rebekah commented, sipping from a glass of blood – _his_ blood, the one he stored in his private cellars. Although she may have procured that by herself. She and Kol would be eager to get back to their feeding habits.

He suddenly remembered he had drunk very little blood himself that day. His stomach was growling. The prey he had chased the night before had turned out to be disappointing. Or at least, the taste of blood had been rather wan.

"Do you still bother with those _drawings_?" she drawled skittishly, interrupting his thoughts.

"Do you still bother with men who don't give you the time of the day?"

"I don't know, I shall have to find out now that I'm no longer _daggered_," she replied coolly.

He was about to say something in return, but Elijah's hand moved from his armchair to his shoulder.

"Niklaus. Enough of this bad temper. _Do_ try to get along. It is the least you can do after being such an insufferable brother. You don't wish me to stain my suit with your blood again, do you?"

"Of course not. I'd rather you stain it with _yours_."

Finn shot him a warning look. "Be respectful, Niklaus. Our mother is among us."

_Oh, yes, the perfect bitch, _he thought angrily. _Fine thing you're all doting on her. I only put you to sleep. She turned you into monsters._

He found it all too quaint, how his brothers and sister were ready to obey their mother's wishes. They were too calm, too relaxed. As if they had already won. What exactly, he did not know, but he was plenty suspicious.

Still, he was the _real_ threat in the room and they knew it. Whatever little scheme they had prepared, he was ready.

Oddly…he even welcomed it.

_Stop it. You're getting sentimental._

"One request, Niklaus," Esther called out, drawing his attention.

"Tired of your litter already? Don't worry, I can help you put them back in the coffins," he quipped, smirking.

Elijah's nails sank into his shoulder and Rebekah scowled. Kol, however, was laughing to himself like an idiot.

"You are _not_ to invite those dreadful Bennett witches to the ball. Mother or daughter, I won't have them under this roof. The Bennett line betrayed me when I needed them most centuries ago. And Abby Bennett…well, the spirits love to gossip and I've heard some wretched stories about her. It's quite disgraceful what she's _done_."

Klaus raised an eyebrow in interest. That seemed worth knowing.

"As for the girl, she is just as cunning and dangerous as her mother, if not more," she added, throwing him a sharp look.

He smoothed his face and clasped his hands together in a sign of benevolence.

"Of course, Mother. I had no intention of inviting them anyway. They were merely business partners."

* * *

Bonnie left Elena's house with an odd feeling of relief in the pit of her stomach. She had cringed at the sight of Elena, moping in bed with a terrible hangover and the after-effects of Esther's spell. She had tried a calming charm to soothe her friend, but that only managed to make her more restless. The doppelganger was a supernatural creature and needed to heal in her own time.

Unfortunately, she still remembered _something_ about her ordeal, because she kept bringing up "a guy named Tony".

"I'm so sure there was a man by that name. I could've sworn -"

The witch patted her hand awkwardly. "Oh, no, that's probably just someone from school. Forget about it."

She had surreptitiously inspected Elena's stomach while the girl was half-asleep and his name was thankfully smudged by now. But she would have words with him about stupid actions and their consequences.

_He probably won't listen. He's not **my** hybrid. He's Klaus' -_

She stopped short before she committed the awful mistake of playing down the Original's horrific actions.

_**No.** He's no one's hybrid._

After all, in the back of her mind she still hoped he would one day be free.

Wrapped up in these bleak thoughts, she almost didn't catch the figure running out of her house.

_Speak of the devil._

Tony sprinted out her door, looking like a regular inhabitant who had just popped in for a break.

_This is what I get for inviting him in. _

And he'd taken a Coke from her fridge too. What a jackass.

"Heya. Don't tell boss I'm having a drink. I'm not technically allowed one. But eh, he didn't phrase his orders very well, so cheers for loopholes."

Bonnie blinked. "You do know I can make you suffer far worse than he can, right?"

Tony winked. "Nice to see you too, Bennett."

She noticed he kept jumping up and down in a constant running motion.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Boss' punishment for talking out of line. Have to marathon around Mystic Falls twenty times in a row without a break. Oh, and deliver the invitations."

He pressed a thick beige envelope into her hands.

Bonnie scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

_Please join the_

_Mikaelson Family_

_On the 22__nd__ of September at Seven O'clock_

_For dancing, cocktails and celebration._

"Celebration…" she muttered disconcerted. "What for?"

"Esther's ego, most likely. I mean she kinda lost. She needs to make it look like a victory."

_Okay, I no longer want a party. Or a distraction._

"This can't be serious."

"Boss isn't very eager, either, but family's a bitch. Oh, and hey, not all the invites are ready yet, so I only handed a few to the VIPs, if you know what I mean," he wriggled his eyebrows. "This earns me the chips too, right?"

It's only then she saw he'd stuffed his back pockets with her comfort food.

"You're a treasure," she retorted.

"There's another surprise waiting for you inside. Would love to stay and steal more of your disgusting snacks, but gotta run. Literally."

He was gone before she had the time to say something clever in return. Bonnie groaned. Since when had she become buddies with a sired hybrid who was not only brainwashed but also _happy_ about it?

She stepped inside the house cautiously. The kitchen looked predictably ransacked. But right there in the hallway, on the table, there was a large rectangular box, the size of a wedding cake, and a smaller one on top. Both black. A note next to them too. She recognized the writing immediately.

_The color should bring out your lovely eyes._

_K. _

"Oh, how mysterious of you. You only signed your initial. How will I ever know?"

She unwrapped the box rather angrily because she didn't much appreciate having strangers – even Tony – drop off unwanted gifts at her house, but stopped shortly when she saw what was inside.

Bonnie was afraid to touch it. The fabric looked so soft, almost like it would break off in waves if she stirred it.

She gingerly traced the encrusted patterns sprinkled over the bodice and hem. The color was deep forest green, so deep that it made you dizzy just from staring at it. The white gems were a disturbing, but mesmerizing contrast.

She stood there for ages, not daring to pick it up.

There was also a pair of shoes that shone with the brilliance of luxury. Something a model would wear for a couple of hours at a runway. She was shocked to find they suited her perfectly. But she took them off quickly, because the whole thing was becoming too much like Cinderella for her taste.

Then she opened the small box.

Inside were two emerald earrings, the shape of stars.

She held them in the palm of her hand. They seemed to absorb the light around them. They felt cool and delicious against her skin.

She put them back in their box quickly, almost as if she were afraid of being cursed.

_No. You're not going to wear or try on any of this stuff. Absolutely not. You're forbidden, Bonnie. You hear me?_

But arguing with herself about a dress, a pair of shoes and some jewelry was not as effective as she'd imagined. She picked up the boxes and hurried up the stairs.

_I can't just leave them by the door, _was her reasoning.

* * *

_A/N: I hope this chapter didn't seem too filler-y. Let me know!_


	7. the ball

_A/N: Hello, glad to be updating again :) I keep getting overwhelmed by your wonderful reviews every chapter. You are all so lovely, thank you! I am grateful to **sincerelyki**, **brynnbrigham**, **Anastasia-G**, **embracetheweird16**, **stefonniesalvatore, Gabby** (thank you, yes, she's going to turn many heads, that's for sure), **dj** (I love writing Bonnie and imaginary Klaus interact too! and if you're looking for more Tony/Bonnie friendship, look no further than this chapter), **Eddieizzie, Guest1** (haha, I'm really glad the fic is making you ask so many questions :) most of them will be answered gradually, no worries), **Guest2** (yey, that's good news), **Red** (Esther is definitely going to be "thrilled" Klaus disobeyed her. and I love imaginary Klaus too!), **leni18, bluemagicrose, ZombieSavior, Guest3** (I too was super bummed Bonnie never got to attend the ball so I am rectifying that pronto and people's reactions will be priceless indeed :d)  
_

_So, the Ball is upon us! This is only the first part, of course, but I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

It turned out that pretty much everyone of importance had been invited to the Mikaelsons' Ball, including the Mayor and the members of the Town Council. Many of these people were sworn enemies to vampires, but under Esther's command, the Originals and the humans had agreed to play nice for one night, or at least pretend to, while they plotted against each other.

Of course, there was also the handful of non-Original vampires to take into consideration. They had been invited for protection; after all, someone needed to be there when Kol or Rebekah decided to remove the heart of some innocent bystander.

So, Bonnie tried not to feel singled out. She told herself she was just another attendee who had been invited for being a supernatural creature. Except that, neither Caroline nor Elena had gotten an outfit and jewelry along with their invitations. She knew because she had gone with Caroline to visit Elena again and neither of them had mentioned anything about additional gifts. Nor was there an ominous black box anywhere in Elena's house.

She had to surmise that Klaus wanted something from her. He was trying to get her attention, or at least, initiate a transaction. Had Abby been right? Once you did something for an Original, he would try to make you do something else? Was Klaus honestly trying to bribe her with dresses and jewelry?

_He's got another thing coming if he thinks I'm working with him again._

Although…this was probably what it was all about. He had invited her and gifted her these expensive things in order to soften her resolve.

_But that will never happen. I've helped him once. It's more than enough._

She was not going to confirm Abby's fears, nor was she going to end trapped in a guilty existence, like her.

It still hurt to think about; her mother's betrayal.

She was still in town, but had thankfully resorted to only calling and texting her. Her messages consisted mainly of requests to meet and talk and, though they were innocuous enough, Bonnie preferred to keep up the wall between. She was afraid Abby would confess another compromising secret and make her feel worse about the whole thing.

_But what if Klaus invited her to the Ball? _

Then, there would be no choice but confrontation, because she _was_ going to the Ball. She needed to protect her town and her friends. And more importantly, she needed to show them, the Originals, that she didn't fear them.

Of course, she _wasn't_ going to wear Klaus' gifts. She couldn't be _bought_.

* * *

Bonnie looked in the mirror one last time. Her Grams' old society gown would have to do. It was pretty low-key for what she knew would be an over-the-top evening, but it had class and style, which was more than she could say for the Originals. _Well_, Elijah did always dress impeccably. The point, however, was to show them she was above all this.

She _would_ return the black box to Klaus in the following days, along with a firmly-worded note about unwanted gifts.

She was dusting her cheeks with blush when she heard the knocking at the door. Bonnie groaned.

_What now?_

But she was startled to find Elena and Caroline standing on her porch. They both wore coats over their gowns, but her eyes widened when she noticed just how glamorous they were.

"Bonnie! You look great!" Caroline exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah, it's so vintage and cute," Elena added, kissing her cheek.

Bonnie smiled and accepted their compliments, though she knew her dress couldn't compare to what the girls were wearing.

"We wanted to come by and pick you up. We thought we should all go together," Elena explained, pointing at the car behind them. Bonnie stretched her neck. She saw Damon wave sardonically at her from behind the wheel.

"Where's Stefan?"

"He's already at the Mansion. He said he had some business to finish. He's just as closed-off and secretive as before, so I couldn't get much out of him. Not that I _want_ to," Elena confided with some bitterness in her voice. Bonnie could clearly see she missed the old Stefan who had shared everything with her and had loved her through and through. Klaus, of course, had gotten in the way of that. He seemed to ruin everything.

_I can't believe I got Elena compelled for him._

It's true, she had done it so Elena would be free of Klaus, but what if she had chained _herself_ to the Original in the process?

Bonnie shook her head. She had to stop thinking like that. It only brought bad luck into her life and there was enough of that already.

"You guys look amazing," Bonnie offered, her eyes wandering to their gowns almost against her will. For one thing, they looked expensive, as if they'd been taken from a designer's collection. "Who did you have to kill to get these?"

"Okay, I didn't kill anyone, but I _may_ have compelled some select stores personnel to get my hands on it," Caroline confessed, blushing.

"Caroline! That's not how you should be using your powers," Bonnie chided, although... perhaps she didn't have much of a leg to stand on regarding the judicious use of powers. "You need to send it back."

"Hey, it's just one night! And I _will_, tomorrow. Promise. Elena was a chicken and wouldn't let me get one for her too, so Damon got her a dress instead."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Damon? Really?"

The doppelganger looked at her feet and coughed embarrassed. "It doesn't mean anything. He was just being nice."

"Uh-uh. So am I to assume vampires just shop-lift on a regular basis?" Bonnie questioned.

She wondered if Klaus had also stolen those items. Although...they looked almost too precious to steal.

"Well, Damon actually _bought_ Elena's dress, so there's that."

Elena threw Caroline a look that pretty much spelled out "you're not helping". Bonnie couldn't help the small smile forming at the corner of her lips. This entire ridiculous triangle was going to come to a head soon, and as much as she loved her friend, she was going to have to tell Elena to stop encouraging Damon. If it were up to her, she'd tell Elena to ditch both brothers for a while, but she knew that would not be received well.

"I was thinking we'd look so badass, the three of us, walking into that Mansion, facing Klaus and his family head-on," Caroline babbled excitedly.

Bonnie bit her lip. The three of them, facing Klaus? Oh, he'd _love_ that. He'd have his chance to waltz in and reveal Bonnie's part in his schemes right in front of her friends. No, better to arrive alone and go from there.

"Actually, I'm not exactly ready yet. I still have to do my hair. Plus, I have to talk to...my mother," she lied. It was more than disturbing how easy that came to her now. "I'll catch up with you guys at the Ball."

When her friends were gone, Bonnie closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh. She was sick of this weird double life. And it had only been a week! She just wanted for things to go back to normal. She was halfway into the kitchen, when she heard a second knock at her door.

"Guys, I wasn't kidding, I still have tons of stuff to do, I can't come –"

"Evening, Bennett. You're not wearing _that_ to the Ball, are you?"

Bonnie's face fell. "At first it was cute. Now you're just annoying."

Tony grinned at her and walked in casually, ignoring her obvious cue to leave. He rounded up on her with a critical eye. He was wearing a rather ruffled tux, but somehow, he still looked quite good in it. Whereas, he obviously thought there was something lacking about her outfit.

"You know, I left you that black box for a reason," he continued, inspecting the hallway for any signs of it.

Bonnie folded her arms. "_Without_ my permission, I might add."

"I didn't think you'd mind, considering what's inside," he alluded, smirking. "Boss has good taste, doesn't he?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I threw it out, so you can stop trying to find it."

"Why would you do that?"

"I thought by now both you and he would've realized I'm not some gullible idiot. I can't be fooled by luxury."

"Well, you're definitely being fooled," he replied, looking at her dress.

Bonnie fumed. "_Why_ are you here?"

"Boss wanted to make sure you'd come."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Did he also tell you to barge into my house?"

Tony scratched his chin sheepishly. "Well, _no_. But how else could I make sure?"

"Tony..."

"Look, before you give me an aneurysm, you should know I only have the _best_ intentions at heart."

"Which are?"

"To get you to have fun tonight."

Bonnie's eyes were the size of saucers. She snorted in disbelief. "_Really_?"

Tony shrugged. "And...to obey my generous maker's commands, but you know, one doesn't have to contradict the other."

Bonnie tapped her foot impatiently. "You have thirty seconds before I kick you out the door –"

Tony looked down. "Okay, I'll make this fast. Before I was turned, my life only consisted of parties, bashes and hangouts. That's what I _knew_. That's what I was best at. I didn't _like_ being a werewolf. Who does? It's a pain in the ass, not just once a month, but every single day of your life. I drowned myself in booze and ladies and guys, too. Just enough to make me forget. I moved from one spree to the next, aimlessly. Then Klaus made me whole again, made me _better_. Now I can think clearly. I'm not aimless anymore. But that doesn't mean I don't still have that fun streak in me."

"Clearly," Bonnie bit back, but her expression softened. She felt a twisted nudge of sympathy for this brainwashed hybrid, against her better judgement.

"So, do I want you to wear what boss picked out for you? Sure, that would be preferable. But do I also want you to strut in there and own the place? Definitely."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Since when do you care about my strutting anywhere?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. You're the first person I sort of like ever since I was turned. Everyone else keeps judging me or treating me like shit for being a hybrid. You're...cool, Bennett."

Bonnie couldn't help the wry smile. He was so weirdly endearing, despite his dickish behavior. It was probably part act, part truth, but she appreciated the small morsel of honesty, either way.

"Plus," Tony continued, "I really don't want my groupie looking better than you. Or her blonde friend."

Bonnie frowned. "I'm not competing with my friends."

"Exactly. Because you'll be the _best_," Tony grinned and, before she had even blinked, he had run up to her bedroom, got the black box out and returned downstairs.

"What the – how did you know –"

"You're cool, Bennett. But you're also a dork."

* * *

_Where was she?_

He was getting quite fed up with this wretched Ball. At least Bonnie Bennett would be a welcome distraction. Everywhere he looked, enemy eyes followed him.

First, there was Stefan Salvatore, who still had a taste for vendetta on his tongue and believed he would actually _get_ it, the foolish idiot. Then there was his bastard family, attempting to ruffle his feathers. Rebekah and Kol were doing their best to sabotage his careful dominion over Mystic Falls by mixing with the humans to a suspicious extent and his dear mother and Finn were as thick as thieves, walking together, whispering in each other's ears, plotting some nonsense behind his back. Something was most likely afoot, but surely, they both knew they were helpless against him. He would have liked for both mortals and immortals to understand this simple fact. That _no one_ would ever get to him. It would have made their lives so much easier.

Elijah, on the other hand, was doing his best to please him, or at least act civil. It was nothing short of what Klaus had expected of him, but it still irritated the hybrid. Because at the end of the day, Elijah was loyal to the Family. Not to him.

They both walked about the rooms and recalled some inconsequential events from some hundred years ago, as if they were returning to a conversation interrupted only minutes before, but the tension was still there, dormant, even as they spun their tales of old fights and conquests.

"You must know, I do plan on leaving and never seeing you again, like the rest of my siblings. But I wish we would not part as enemies, although you might deserve no better name."

Klaus smiled frostily. "Oh, Brother. Don't fret. I could never see an enemy in you. You'd have to pose an actual threat."

Elijah narrowed his eyes and patted his brother's back with enough force to make Klaus stiffen. "I would be careful not to underestimate me, Niklaus. You see us all beneath you. You might be wrong."

"On the contrary. I do not see you beneath me. I just don't see you at all," he grinned, clinking his glass with Elijah's.

His elder brother smiled a tight-lipped smiled and looked over his shoulder. "I see Elena Gilbert has arrived. I had better pay my attentions."

Klaus rolled his eyes. The detestable doppelganger had entered the ballroom with Damon Salvatore in toe, waiting on her like an obedient little pup. And they judged _him_ for making hybrids. What was the Salvatore oaf if not a mindless drone?

He could not understand his brother, however. Elijah's odd sympathy for that vacuous girl made him laugh. He had never seen someone so entirely devoid of charm before. Perhaps that was the magic of the doppelganger. An utterly plain girl could become the most wanted woman in the world. He was grateful he was not a weak idiot to fall for such a cheap mirage.

Stefan Salvatore quickly joined their group and insinuated himself next to Elena, who didn't look very happy for it. Nor did Damon.

At other times, this ridiculous tryst would have been interesting, but Klaus was growing increasingly bored.

"No partner tonight, dear brother?"

He turned to find Rebekah inspecting him shrewdly.

"I could say the same for you, Sister, except you are always without partner."

"I have my eyes on a particular someone," she replied, and her eyes darted to the other end of the room. Tyler's girlfriend was holding the arm of a human boy who looked familiar. They were the epitome of the proverbial small town couple; the bubbly blonde and her football dimwit. A match made in heaven, no doubt.

"It's quite ironic. If I'd had my way and got that doe-eyed simpleton killed, she wouldn't be an obstacle to your designs."

Rebekah smiled. "Who says she _is_? Just wait."

"Don't make a mess of it," Klaus warned.

"That's _your_ specialty," she replied acidly and tossed her head in the opposite direction.

Klaus watched her sashay towards the blockheads with purpose and felt something like a pang of regret to know that his siblings were such wasted creatures, after all.

He had a bigger game in mind. And it did not involve immature adolescent antics.

He swallowed the remainders of his champagne and decided to retire to his study, when he saw a flash of brilliant green in the hallway. He stopped and turned towards the source of commotion.

_There_ she was. Klaus parted his lips. He felt his breath still for a moment. He was sure the empty flute would crack under the pressure of his fingers.

Tony helped her out of her coat. She stood, bare-shouldered, in front of the crowd. She was a regal apparition, one who did not belong to this mundane plane.

He had been right. The green only enhanced the strange quality of her eyes. The dress pooled around her in silver-green folds, swathing her in a bright halo. The encrusted gems hugged her waistline in a delicious manner. She had pulled her hair up, leaving only a few tantalizing strands to linger against her collarbone and he could see the earrings twinkling softly beneath her locks.

She looked about the room warily, her expression both nervous and determined.

Klaus exhaled. His appetite surged. Oh, this _was_ the bigger game. He did not trifle with whims and desires. He simply _took_ what he _wanted_. And there was something about Bonnie Bennett, beyond the fact that she was a witch, that awakened that dormant impulse in him.

He smirked like a shark who had found its prey.

He grabbed two bubbling glasses of champagne from a passing tray and stalked confidently towards her. His presence was so imposing and ferocious that the couples around him parted the way respectfully. He could see from the corner of his eye her dull friends staring in disbelief at her entrance. They ogled and gawked as if they had never seen her before in their lives. He rather enjoyed their dumbstruck expressions.

Caroline and the puny mortal started walking towards her, but he made sure to leave them behind.

He noticed the way her body froze when he approached her. Being a hybrid gave him the ability to pick up the small giveaways of the human body, like the way her muscles clenched in her stomach and the little intake of breath that died in her chest. Her reaction was evident. He was pleased.

Her eyes met his and his smirk only widened when he read the uncertainty there.

It was quickly replaced with a scowl. Bonnie took a step back and he took a step forward.

"I was wondering when you would grace me with your presence, love. Drink?"

Bonnie looked past him at her friends.

"Klaus. What are you doing?"

"I am being a well-mannered host."

"You know what I mean."

"And you know what _I_ mean," he returned, raising an eyebrow. He slipped the glass in her hand. Bonnie flinched slightly when their fingers touched.

"Now, why don't you take my arm so we may retire to the ballroom?"

Bonnie scrutinized him with suspicious eyes. "What are you playing at?"

"Playing?" he echoed innocently. "You keep assuming I jest, when I am being quite serious."

"Right. You want to let the whole _world_ know I worked with you. So tell them. But don't expect me to drop everything and stand by your side in a room full of people I know."

Klaus raised his hand and touched a loose curl, letting it fall across her back. Bonnie shivered.

"You look divine, by the by. Although that is an understatement. You are a vision."

His eyes danced hungrily across her dark skin. The witch stiffened, but did not lower her eyes or blush. There was that quality about her, the ludicrous bravery.

"Is that why you gave me these things? To make me cooperate?"

Klaus chuckled. "Did I say such a thing, love? Why, you are free to join your friends and find a different partner. But I would argue it's rather too late by now. They have all seen us talking at length and your exquisite appearance will, naturally, incite interminable questioning. If you are up to it, be my guest."

He stepped aside and raised his hand to let her pass.

Bonnie surveyed the crowd with trepidation. He could see it. Could see her eyes forming a decision, although her mind was still torn. He decided to give her more incentive.

"After all, I want my guests to be happy. And I certainly _don't_ want any of them to be _harmed_."

Bonnie swallowed. She threw him such a frosty look that would have made Esther herself cower. But Klaus only gave a devilish smirk in return and offered his arm again.

She took it, sealing her fate.


	8. the dance

_A/N: Hello again :) I can't believe the story is close to 100 reviews, that's amazing! Thank you all for being so lovely. I am very grateful to **Guest1** (I totally know how you feel, I so wanted this to happen too!), **LeilaniStar, PracticallyCharmed, Gabby** (aw yes, so glad you liked the entrance!), **Anastasia-G**, **DJ** (thanks! and you're in luck because B/K is strong this chapter), **Eddieizzie, Red** (yey, I'm happy you're happy :) more of the ball coming!), **Guest2** (yes! I love that he harps about Elena too. Canon Klaus I think is also very unimpressed with her), **leni18, negrobarc,** **To turn this around**, **HowlingForKlaroline,** **The Cuteness**, **Rain** (thank you!), **bluemagicrose.**_

_So here is the second part of the Ball. I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie wished Klaus' gift could have included some gloves. Touching his hand directly felt like touching coals. She had a burning sensation in her skin that she couldn't shake off. Maybe it was his werewolf blood, but it was unpleasant and rough to the senses.

That, of course, was nothing compared to the looks she was receiving. Everyone at the ball, it seemed, had stopped to stare. Worst of it, her friends were there too, gawking at her inexplicable transformation. There was no way of telling them that she was still the Bonnie Bennett they knew. She smiled awkwardly in their direction, which only seemed to weird them out more.

Elena's jaw was unhinged, her eyes wide with shock, and Caroline wore an expression of absolute tragedy, as if the whole town had blown up into pieces. She was furiously whispering something to Stefan and Matt. Bonnie was sure it was about rescuing her from the Original. But Matt and Stefan were just as startled. Only Damon was shaking his head in a way that suggested he had always known there was something wrong about her.

They weren't the only ones who appeared baffled. Other small town acquaintances looked confused by her partner. To them, Klaus was a stranger who had never associated with anyone from Mystic Falls. He had never been seen with a girl, much less someone like Bonnie. It just did not make sense.

Bonnie felt his stare, and the way it lingered on her dress as they walked to the ballroom.

"How much longer do I have to stand next to you?" she asked, her hand itching for an escape.

"Don't consider it an obligation, love. Consider it an opportunity," he spoke, tilting his head and letting his words fall on her bare shoulder.

"An opportunity," she scoffed. "For what?"

"For securing an alliance with the most powerful man alive, naturally."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You're not modest."

"I have no reason to be."

"I don't need any alliances with the likes of you."

"You never know…it's a dangerous world out there," he argued, smiling at her in a way that spelled nothing but trouble.

"_You're_ the danger."

"Ah. Thank you."

"It _wasn't_ a compliment."

"Everything is a compliment when you know who you are, love. For example, if I called you a stubborn little witch, you would not protest. You wear the title with pride."

Bonnie took a large sip from her glass. She would need all the alcohol in the world to get through this.

"I'm returning your _gift_ tomorrow. For future reference, I don't want anything from you."

They had arrived at the edge of the dance floor. Klaus stopped and took both their glasses, depositing them on a passing tray.

"Are you not curious what I have to offer?"

Bonnie narrowed her eyes into slits. "No."

"Has anyone ever told you, you are a terrible liar?"

Bonnie licked her lips impatiently, which only seemed to draw his eyes towards her mouth. His presence was both stifling and…strangely intoxicating.

"I'm not going to fall for it, Klaus."

"Fall for what?"

"Your…" She wasn't sure what to call it. _Seduction?_ "…manipulation."

"Then it must be working," he grinned a wolfish grin.

Bonnie was about to protest, but he slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her to him possessively.

"Care for a dance?"

Bonnie gasped against his chest. "Are you insane?"

"Why, I believe it's a perfectly reasonable request."

Bonnie pressed a hand to his chest. "You don't know the meaning of reasonable."

She was startled suddenly when she felt the beating of his heart. It was easy enough to forget he had one. She removed her hand quickly and stepped away from his grasp.

"Perhaps then you would like to dance with one of my new hybrids. There are so many of them. And they are all so eager to meet you," he said, his eyes flashing with mirth.

Bonnie looked around the room and saw them for the first time. She hadn't noticed their presence, which was perhaps what he wanted. They lurked in the corners, watching the guests like birds of prey. Young and strong and ready. She felt a chill run down her spine.

"_Fine_," she breathed out. She let him take her arm again and lead her towards the dancing couples. The band was playing a mercilessly slow tune. She saw how people moved out of the way for them. She saw how their heads turned and their eyes lowered.

When he put his hand around her waist again, she knew he wouldn't let go until the dance was over. Bonnie felt the same heady warmth invading her senses as he closed the distance between them. She placed one hand on his shoulder and let her fingers rest in his open palm. When he stepped forward, she stepped back and the music pulled them back and forth across the room.

Bonnie took everything in at once; the slow movements, the cool air on her bare arms, the cadence of the steps, the glitter of the chandeliers. For a strange moment, they were the only people in the room. She did not know _why_ she felt that way, but she did. Maybe it was because he was staring at her as if they were alone. There was something dark and unfamiliar in those eyes.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"And how am I looking at you?"

"Like I'm your future dinner."

Klaus smiled, only half of his face showing amusement. The other half… A hybrid's bite could kill a witch, she knew that now.

"If I wanted to consume you, I would have done it already."

Bonnie didn't like his choice of words and she let him know by stepping lightly on his foot.

"You are quite the dancer," he commented sarcastically, tightening his grip on her back.

"It's a small town requirement," she replied, turning her head away in what she hoped was a show of dignity.

"A Southern tradition, no doubt. Your friends, on the other hand…they're not very good, are they?"

Bonnie whipped her head around. The room seemed to fill up again. Elena and Damon were pretending to dance, but were actually watching her. The doppelganger looked scandalized.

Bonnie swallowed. Her friend was probably thinking Bonnie had betrayed her. It was one thing to talk to Klaus and walk with him, but dance?

Caroline was also dancing with Matt nearby, but her eyes were trained on Klaus with such fury that Bonnie was sure she would lash out at him at any moment. When she turned to Bonnie, she only looked sad and disappointed.

Bonnie felt a strange twinge of anger. Elena thought she was willfully cavorting with Klaus, while Caroline thought she was helplessly trapped in the Original's grasp. One of them believed she was a traitor, the other, a victim. Neither connotation pleased her.

_Don't they know me? Don't they know I'm strong? Don't they know I would never -_

But she stopped there before her thoughts went further.

"Don't let them affect you, love. They are beneath you," he spoke into her ear.

"Not everyone thinks of their friends as inferiors," she retorted. "Then again you don't have any."

Klaus chuckled and his stubble tickled the lobe of her ear. "I'd rather have you as an enemy than have them as friends."

Bonnie turned her head and was startled by his face, inches away from hers. She remembered reading a story once, about a king who turned everything to gold. Now that king had a face.

"You secretly enjoy it, though, don't you?"

"Enjoy what?"

"Their scandalized looks. The way they are staring. As if you were dangerous and unknown."

"That's not true." But she couldn't deny the righteous indignation that coursed through her veins. She wanted them to feel bad for doubting her. She wanted them to take note of her and realize she could handle this just _fine._ Maybe - maybe she did want them to see her as powerful... Her indignation gave way to a strange sort of thrill. She had never been the center before. She had never been The Girl. And she had never wanted to. She had been perfectly content with standing on the sidelines. But now... the sensation was overwhelming.

"Isn't it?"

Klaus raised his arm and she spun around his fingers, her dress whirling behind her like sea foam. He caught her in his arms again, but the room was still spinning. Bonnie felt as if she were floating, and she desperately wanted to get back on solid ground. One lock of hair came undone from her bun, falling down her back. Before she could say anything, his hand traveled to her spine and twisted the lock around his fingers, tugging a little and eliciting a small wince from her lips.

He smirked and wrapped it around her bun, fingers lingering at her nape.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him. Klaus flinched and hissed. He removed his hand. She had set his mind on fire, if only for some moments.

"I suspect this is only the first aneurysm of the night," he said, clucking his tongue.

"You suspect right. And your hybrids are next."

They shared a look of pure animosity. Only no…not pure. There was humor and light in it too. She knew the humor was his, but the light she couldn't account for.

"You know, I was being serious before," he said, hand gripping waist. "They do want to meet you. You did, after all, play an instrumental part in their making. Without you, they wouldn't even be here."

Bonnie stiffened in his hold. He wanted her hands to be stained like his. And worst of all, he was right. She had given him more power.

_But I saved Elena_, she reasoned. Yet…was Elena worth it?

_Of course she is!_ she argued with herself. _Don't let him get to you._

"Don't get cocky," she answered instead. "I gave them to you. I can take them away."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. Bonnie felt a blush warming her cheek. She had no idea where that had come from. But she didn't care what he thought of her. She was going to speak her mind.

The song was coming to a finish. Thankfully, he would let her go and she would finally enjoy a moment of peace away from him.

"I hope you will retain the same charming boldness when you meet my mother."

Bonnie doubled up. "What did you say?"

He was already leading her away from the dance floor. "I am introducing you, of course."

Bonnie groaned. "Why?"

"We both seem to have the same reaction to her, but it must be done. It is _her_ ball, after all."

Suddenly, their path was blocked by a puzzled Matt and a very furious Caroline.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to speak to my _friend_?"

Klaus scrutinized her with contempt. "I'm afraid I cannot spare her."

"That's _her_ call, not yours. Bonnie, we need to talk. _Now_."

"I –" Bonnie glanced at Klaus, who was rubbing his thumb against her pulse, their arms still intertwined. She felt the pressure on her wrist.

"I'll be with you in a moment, Caroline."

"You can't be serious! What have you done to her?" Caroline demanded of Klaus.

"You insult me. Your friend is perfectly capable of making her own choices," he replied curtly.

"Not if you compelled her!"

Bonnie sighed. "He can't compel me, Care. You know that. I'll explain everything later, I promise. Just know I'm not doing any of this because I want to."

Klaus chuckled. "Yes, Caroline. Bonnie is clearly miserable."

Bonnie glared at him. "How about you keep your opinions to yourself?"

Caroline watched the exchange with consternation.

"I only think your simple-minded friends should know you are quite accustomed to my presence," he commented slyly, alluding to their recent partnership. Bonnie was ready to give him another aneurysm.

"Bonnie? What is he talking about?"

"Nothing," she said through gritted teeth, pulling him away. "Let's just get this over with."

She gave Caroline and Matt an apologetic look and dragged Klaus away from the scene. Her friends looked back at her in shock.

"Why did I bother with the sire bond? I'm sure Tyler needs no incentive to bite her," Klaus quipped, grabbing a fresh pair of champagne flutes.

"You're despicable," she retorted, taking the glass he offered.

"And you are beautiful."

She choked on her champagne. He had said it without sarcasm or any of his usual drollness. It chilled her, despite his warmth. He stared at her with a brutal kind of honesty. He was not being flirtatious or charming; he was speaking like someone stating a resolute fact, something which could not be denied.

But the moment passed so quickly she had no time to wonder. He was smirking again and that glimpse of honesty vanished.

"Ah, Mother, you're a sight for sore eyes."

Bonnie flinched. She turned expectantly towards the Original witch standing right behind her.

Esther looked stunning for a millennial witch. Her features were undeniably similar to Klaus'. She had the same poise and regalia which Klaus wore with mockery, but on her, they were imposing and fearsome.

She was small, all of a sudden. It did not help that Esther was scrutinizing her sternly and her mouth was twisted in disfavor.

Bonnie felt Klaus' reassuring hand drawing circles on her back. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to be comforted, before she remembered who he was.

"I would like you to meet Bonnie Bennett."

Esther smiled glacially. "We have met before, haven't we, my dear?"

"Yes…we have."

The sudden peal of laughter made Bonnie start. It was quite terrifying.

"I believe I put you to sleep. How rude of me. You _will_ accept my apologies and my thanks, won't you?"

"There's no need to apologize –" Bonnie began.

"And where is your _darling_ mother? I should thank her too for her great service."

Bonnie stiffened and looked down.

Esther turned to Klaus. "Oh, you did not invite her? I am shocked. After all, you know it _pleases_ me so."

It was plain to see his mother was quite discontent with Bonnie's presence. But Klaus was glowing with pleasure.

"I thought one Bennett would suffice, but I will make a note for future occasions," he replied serenely.

Esther harrumphed at him, but smiled at Bonnie. "Ah, I do believe I know the princess who wore those earrings once. She is only a spirit now of course, has been dead for _centuries_. But you wear them better, my dear."

Bonnie's hand instinctively went to her ears.

"You must try the salmon quiche. It is divine. I hope you have a _lovely_ evening," Esther finished frostily. She was quickly escorted away by a stern-looking man whose features looked familiar. He might have been one of the brothers she did not know.

Bonnie breathed in relief when she was out of sight. She took a large gulp of her drink too.

"She knows how to make one feel insignificant, doesn't she?"

Bonnie glared at Klaus. "You _knew_ she would not be pleased to see me."

"Mother is not pleased to see anyone but her own reflection. I would not let it get to you."

"Is that why you invited me? To anger your mother?"

Bonnie didn't know where her temper was coming from. She had been humiliated by Esther, and yet she was furious with him.

_Why do I care why he invited me? _

_I don't. But he used me. _

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "You are upset."

"Of course I'm – it doesn't matter. I need some air."

She turned on her heel and walked towards the door. He took hold of her arm.

"You are overreacting, love –"

"_Don't_ call me that," she said and wrenched her arm away. She hurried towards the exit, ignoring the doorman who was asking her if she wanted her coat. She just needed to get out of there for a moment, walk and breathe.

Her anger pulsed like a fever. She realized she was angry at herself more, for letting him affect her. What did she even care what he did?

It was her curse, to care too much about everything all the time. She wrapped her arms around her elbows and walked down the paved path towards the back of the mansion.

The night sky looked dark and full of secrets. Somehow, she still hadn't got back on solid ground.

* * *

_A/N: get ready for the third part soon! I hope Bonnie &amp; Klaus were to your liking. Let me know!_


	9. the wolf

_A/N: Hello again :) I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry for my delay, I lost a good chunk of this chapter due to a technology mishap :( But I'm glad to be back. And the story now has over 100 reviews, that is beyond amazing! Many thanks to **Gabby** (thank you, I'm so glad you like their back and forth. There's more of that in this chapter),** cubangirl, LeilaniStar, PracticallyCharmed, Red** (yes, Bonnie is becoming a bit more conflicted, that is one of the effects of Klaus' company :) I'm glad you liked their interaction),** d.j** (wow, thanks so much, I'm really glad you want to work on your own fic! also, while I am still in build-up territory, there will come a point where they will have to act together and that point is approaching fast),** TheDreamer17, embracetheweird16, Eddieizzie, Anastasia-G, Guest1 **(aww thank you, and yes that would be quite funny haha)**, aprilf00l, negrobarc, The Cuteness, toooldforfanfic, brynnbrigham, bluemagicrose, leni18, Guest2 **(here you go, hope it helps!)**, Dannya1980, renee8725.**_

_So here is the third part of the Ball. I hope you like!_

_P.S. There is a scene in this chapter which might remind you of the 1992 film, "Dracula". I admit I drew inspiration from it since it's one of my favorite childhood movies and I find its themes and characters similar to TVD's and my own. I'm curious to know if you agree! _

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Klaus watched Bonnie walk out of the Mansion with a mixture of pleasure and annoyance; pleasure that he'd had an effect on her, after all, and annoyance that she had clearly misunderstood him.

He was about to follow her and correct her mistake, when Elijah grabbed his shoulder lightly and turned him around.

"Niklaus. Mother is about to give her speech. You wouldn't want to miss it, would you?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Nothing would delight me more than to absent myself."

"Nevertheless, decorum calls for all her children to be by her side. Even you."

"Even me?" Klaus echoed with disdain. "Am I to be included in this family tableau?"

"She insisted."

"Did she? I thought I wasn't one of her children."

"Perhaps. But you _are_ still my brother. Come."

Elijah smiled ruefully, meaning to show he found the whole thing equally ridiculous, but he held a firm hold on Klaus, not intending by any means to let him go.

The two brothers walked together towards the grand oak staircase, draped in red and gold for the occasion. Finn, Kol, Rebekah and Esther were waiting on the steps. The crowd had gone silent. Everyone was staring at the Original Family.

Klaus swallowed thickly. He hated such displays of togetherness. They rang false. But he had a strange sense of déjà vu, of another night like this, a long time ago, when they had been standing next to each other in this manner, waiting, it seemed, for some unknown fate.

_Of course. The night we were all turned. _

He did not know why that particular memory came to mind. In a thousand years, he hadn't forgotten. Maybe he never would.

"My fellow guests," Esther began in a clear, cool voice, "I am honored to receive you in my home, at last. I am also honored to stand here before you after such a long absence. It has been a trying time for this family, but we are together once more. Always and forever."

Klaus turned his head. The family words had always troubled him. They sounded like a threat. _Always and forever we will haunt you._ And he was the only one who knew to be wary.

Waiters appeared with fresh glasses, but they were not filled with champagne. At first glance, Klaus thought it was blood, but no, it was only red wine.

"Across centuries, the Mikaelson name has survived and thrived, reborn from the ashes of the past, returned to me at last. Tonight, I wish to toast with you to a new beginning. A new era for my family. To us!"

The glasses of wine replaced the champagne quickly. The guests sipped dutifully from the crimson liquor. Elijah passed on the glasses to his siblings. Esther drank from hers greedily. Klaus was shaken by the memory again. He looked at his glass with suspicion. He would not drink. He could not trust his mother. But a voice whispered in his ear "_always and forever, my dear_", and when he turned his head he was looking into Esther's eyes. She had climbed down to him and had taken hold of his hand.

"And to my son, Niklaus, for his hospitality!"

The glasses were raised again. An unspoken challenge passed between Esther and Klaus. Centuries seemed to disappear and he was once again a young man, seeking independence from a doting mother. Her golden eyes still had power over him and for a brief moment, he saw a flicker of affection there. He knew it was nothing but another way of asserting her will. Klaus drained the glass. He would play her game, let her believe she could fool him.

Before Esther could say anything else, he had already turned his back and was walking towards the exit. He made a sign to Tony. The hybrid followed him to the doors.

They were both out in the cool evening air. Klaus spat the wine at his feet, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The sour-sweet taste still lingered on his tongue.

"Have the hybrids ready for an attack. Mother is working up a ritual."

Tony looked at the dark wine puddle and raised an eyebrow.

"Is she a Christian now?"

Klaus chuckled. "Whatever she is, she is being reckless. Now go, do as instructed. And be careful."

Tony nodded and made to leave, but his master caught him by the shoulder.

"You did well bringing me the witch tonight."

Tony grinned. "You're not doing so bad yourself, boss."

"Watch it now."

Tony winked and went back inside, his mind already on the Original's orders. Klaus, meanwhile, had a witch to find.

* * *

"Brr!"

Bonnie regretted her hasty departure. She was shivering badly from the cold and no amount of walking up and down the cobblestoned alley was making her any warmer. She should have grabbed her coat. She contemplated leaving for good. But her friends were still inside that ghastly Mansion, and having met the glacial Esther, she was certain no one should suffer her presence for more than five minutes. She gulped to think what Elena had gone through when Esther had removed the doppelganger magic from the hybrids.

But she couldn't go back inside. Not now. Her temper had cooled, yet the anger lingered in her stomach, like a pressure point she was ashamed of. Because she was more angry with herself than anyone else. Bonnie Bennett was not supposed to fall for cheap tricks or weak seduction. Not that she _had_, but, for a moment there, she had believed there was something beyond Klaus' manipulations. She had even suspected he might genuinely _like_ her.

She blushed at her own naivety. This was exactly what had happened to her mother. A power-hungry Original had waltzed in and charmed her with his lies and now – well, everything was a mess now.

_I'm never letting him get to my head again_, she swore to herself.

She was about to turn around and trace back her steps since she had gone too far from the house, when she stopped dead at the sight of a pair of deep, red eyes. The creature rose from the darkness. The moonlight struck its silver mane and made it glow with an unnatural light. At first, she thought it was a horse. A small crowd had gathered at the front of the mansion to take photos and pet the Mikaelsons' horses.

But this was no docile animal. It looked ferocious and beastly. It looked like a –

"Wolf," she whispered hoarsely.

Her heart started beating furiously. Her legs shook with absolute dread. She clenched her clammy palms and swallowed the dry saliva in her throat. The Bennett magic stored up inside of her lay forgotten. She could only gape and stare at this otherworldly beast. His red eyes had now turned pinkish white as they surveyed her with placid curiosity.

Bonnie had never been more terrified in her life. She instinctively covered her neck with her hand, as if he was about to jump at her and rip her throat out.

She took a halting step back, waiting with bated breath to see what he would do. The wolf tilted his head pensively, then shook his paws and came towards her.

"S-Stay back!" she yelled suddenly.

The wolf froze, and looked almost offended by her rebuke.

Bonnie took another step back, and the beast thought it was a sure sign that he could continue his advance towards her.

"No!" she reprimanded him, almost tripping on the hem of her dress.

By now, the creature looked amused. He did not understand Bonnie's erratic behavior, but he surmised she must be playing some kind of game. He wagged his shaggy silver tail behind him.

"Shoo, scat," she urged, waving her hand despondently.

He wagged his tail faster. Then, without giving her time to run or cower, he leaped towards her and knelt down at her feet, placing his heavy jaw on her foot.

Bonnie shrieked and nearly toppled over him, but at the last minute, she held onto the stone façade of a water basin nearby. The wolf looked up at her and grunted contentedly, as if he had found a good resting place. His head was now making it impossible for her to move her feet. He looked quite comfortable.

"Oh, I'm your new pillow, is that it?" she asked between pants, her terror still vivid in her voice, but less intense now that it didn't look like he was going to attack her.

"Come one, shoo!" she tried, pulling at her dress. But he was clinging to her stubbornly.

"I'll have to use magic on you and it will hurt," she warned, giving him a stern look.

The wolf turned his now milky orbs towards her in protest, as if he had done nothing wrong to merit such a punishment. But beyond his innocent expression, she saw his sharp fangs.

"Go! It's your last chance!" she spoke, pointing her hand at him, already gathering the magic at the tip of her fingers.

"You heard the lady, Dyaba."

Bonnie whipped her head around. Klaus was standing some feet away, hands in his pocket, watching the scene before him with an unreadable expression on his face. He may have been amused, judging by the way his lips curled up at the corner of his mouth. Then again, he was constantly smirking. She never knew what his real face looked like. She didn't care, at the moment. All she wanted was for her feet to be free.

She was in luck. Klaus clicked his tongue and repeated his call: "Dyaba". The wolf clearly recognized his moniker, because he leaped up and shuffled obediently towards the Original, making a sound at the back of his throat that sounded like a greeting.

Bonnie was so overwhelmed by this strange occurrence that, after several moments of silence, all she could say was,

"That's a strange name for a wolf."

Klaus chuckled, bending down to scratch the animal's ear. "It's Aramaic for _wolf_."

"…You named your pet-wolf wolf."

"You sound amused."

"I'm _terrified_," she confessed in an accusing tone.

"Don't be. I'm quite sure he likes you. I've never seen him lie at anyone's feet except my own. Then again, I don't let him out much."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes at him. "Then why is he out _now_? Someone could have gotten hurt!"

"He wasn't _supposed_ to be out. He is usually locked up," Klaus replied with puzzlement. "Something powerful must have compelled him –"

He stopped short, looking down at the wolf. He whispered something in a language Bonnie could only surmise was Aramaic, and much to her surprise, the little beast seemed to understand him. Dyaba raised his head towards his master and howled softly.

"Are you actually _talking_ to him? Is he talking back?" she inquired in astonishment, but there was something close to teasing in her voice. She couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. She almost wanted to laugh.

Klaus shook his head. "It seems you were the cause for his unrest."

"_Me_? Is it because I'm a witch?"

"Dyaba has been around witches before. It should make no difference. Well, perhaps he hasn't been around someone quite like you." And _there_ it was again, that insidious charm of his. He was smiling at her as if he wanted to get a reaction.

She frowned, unimpressed. "Why on Earth did you bring a _wolf_ to Mystic Falls?"

"You forget this is the Mecca of all supernatural creatures. A wolf is hardly worse than a werewolf. Besides, I always bring him along, wherever I go."

Bonnie glanced at the wolf with apprehension. "How old is he exactly?"

Klaus smirked. "Now that would be telling."

For a moment, she thought she saw the wolf's red eyes reflected in the Original's. It was a trick of the light, nothing more. But she shivered nonetheless.

Klaus approached her swiftly and, removing his own dressing coat, fastened it around her shoulders. Bonnie stiffened and tried to reject the offering, but she was too cold to act on her pride and deny the warmth he provided.

He let his hands run up and down her arms, a gesture that was meant to warm her up, but it only sent more tingling shivers down her spine. She couldn't get a certain image out of her head; Klaus in his werewolf form and Dyaba by his side, chasing down a helpless prey in the middle of the night. If she closed her eyes, she thought she could smell the ravine, the wet soil, the rotten leaves, blood dripping from their snouts –

She could smell it on him as he drew closer and pulled the lapels over her chest.

"I was afraid, for a moment, he would hurt you. I was ready to make him pay for such a mistake. Luckily, he took a liking to you," he said with half a smile.

She yelped in surprise. She had felt something rough and wet on the back of her hand. When she looked down, she saw Dyaba. As if to prove his master's words, he had come between them and was licking her hand with relish.

"You can pet him if you like," Klaus said proudly, looking at his wolf with obvious pleasure.

Bonnie was torn between curiosity and fear. She was not disgusted by this strange creature, but she was wary. He did not look like a normal wolf. He looked ancient, mysterious and ethereal, like he could turn into mist at any moment. Yet…he was friendly, all the same. Or at least he exhibited some kind of cordiality towards her. And he was very loyal to Klaus.

She bent down and stroked his mane carefully, shyly.

The wolf leaned into her touch eagerly. He liked being scratched behind the ears, like a dog. She laughed a little when he almost mewled. He seemed to be enjoying her ministrations. She thought he might not be so bad, after all.

She did not realize Klaus was watching her until she glanced up. It was strange. He looked almost serene for a moment, lost in some memory or thought that brought him peace. She wondered what it could be.

"We should get you back inside," he said at length. "It's cold."

The wolf howled mournfully, as if he knew she was going to leave him. Bonnie ran her fingers under his fluffy neck and scratched the top of his head one last time. His fur was silky-smooth and soft to the touch. She rather enjoyed the feel of it between her fingers. But she removed her hand and stared down at her new, strange friend.

"Goodbye, Dyaba."

The wolf grunted balefully, looking displeased. He tapped his paws stubbornly and gave his master a pleading look.

Klaus spoke to him in Aramaic again. His tone left no room for arguing. Before she had time to catch it, Dyaba's eyes turned red again and he seemed to grow larger and more unreal as he stood up on his legs and howled at the moon. He swished his long silver tail and leaped down the cobblestoned path into the darkness from where he had come.

Bonnie blinked in astonishment.

"Where did he go?"

"Back to his abode. He knows not to come out again."

Bonnie wanted to ask a thousand questions more, but he took a step towards her and her senses were invaded once more by his presence, just as powerful and strange as the wolf's. She suspected, deep down, that their bond must be far more profound than that of master and pet. There was something identical in their gait, their gestures, their being. It was old magic. Very old.

"I would like to show you something."

Bonnie exhaled. "After the wolf, I don't know what else could really shock me."

* * *

But this was a different kind of shock. One she hadn't prepared herself for. Klaus was not just a thousand-year old powerful, immortal who could kill her with a single bite. He was also an artist.

A magical wolf made sense. Something as quaint as painting didn't. She couldn't picture him sitting down at that easel, picking up the brush and…simply painting. But there they were, waiting for him patiently in a corner of the spacious studio. There was an unfinished canvas on the easel. It was covered with a stained piece of cloth. Bonnie wanted to laugh. There had to be some violent ritual involved. Klaus Mikaelson couldn't be this…normal. He couldn't possibly entertain this hobby solely for his innocent pleasure.

She stared at the oils and drawings he had spread out for her viewing on the large rosewood study. He had portfolios and notebooks and stacks of unfinished sketches, all the random knickknacks of an average artist.

Only, he wasn't quite so average. She may not have known much about art, but his work looked good. In fact, it looked nuanced and mature.

_Well, he's had a couple of hundred years to practice…_

There were many landscapes, dark and brooding. Cloudy skies, stormy forests, rain-soaked towns, black church spires reaching towards a red dawn. Then there were the cathedrals. He had traveled across Europe and sketched them all, it seemed. They loomed menacingly over the ant-like human figures, white and golden-grey in the sunlight, their windows sparkling with the colors of the rainbow. An eerie contrast.

"This is a Basque Church," he explained, pointing out one drawing in particular. "The outside looks quite sumptuous, but inside, the construction is made of wood."

"I'm sure this information will come in handy at the next Mystic Grill trivia contest," she murmured, casting her eye at the multitude of shrines around her.

Klaus chuckled. "You should see the Basque country some day. It's quite splendid."

"Yeah, when I win the lottery, that's the first thing I'll do."

"…I could take you there."

Bonnie laughed, holding her hand over her mouth. "Right, of course."

Klaus raised an eyebrow in silent challenge.

"You're not serious!"

"Why would I not be?"

"Klaus, I – we're enemies."

"So?"

"_So_? Do you take all your enemies on trips to select locations?"

Klaus smirked. "Only the very charming ones."

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"And we're not quite enemies anymore, are we?" he argued lightly.

"We're reluctant allies for now," she said, looking down at the drawing.

"Can't reluctant allies visit the Basque country together?"

Bonnie scoffed. "You're insane if you think I'm going there or _anywhere_ with you."

Klaus did not push the matter further. He simply turned and walked to the other end of the room, pretending to examine his brushes.

Bonnie gulped and sifted through the rest of his work. She found the portraits next. Most of them were women. All of them aloof and listless, as if he had caught them just before waking. They didn't seem to belong to this plane of existence. They were young and old, plump and thin, dark-skinned and white as milk. He had mapped each body with careful, but proud strokes, as if he knew exactly what their soul contained. She was intimidated by his knowledge. She was intimidated by this past life he was exhibiting freely, as if she was someone who could be trusted with such things.

Why had he brought her to his private studio anyway?

What was the point of showing her all this? She wasn't remotely close to being his friend. This strange intimacy was not warranted. It was different from his bold touches, his domineering behavior, his forceful intrusions. She felt she was encroaching on something important and precious. And she didn't know why she was allowed to see it.

For the umpteenth time that night, she wondered if he truly –

_No_. She had promised she wouldn't let him get to her head again. It was still a mirage. She had to remember that. She had to remember Abby. Everything was a game of power, when you came down to it.

"Why am I here?" she asked coolly.

Klaus looked at her from across the room. His eyes danced over her body, lingering on each feature playfully, as if he was already painting her in his mind. Bonnie shifted uncomfortably, making the folds of her emerald dress whirl back and forth. She was a green jewel in the middle of a brown box.

"Beauty belongs with beauty," he said, gesturing around the room.

Bonnie tried to ignore the compliment. "You mean I'm a piece of art? An _object_?"

Klaus licked his lips. "No. Of course not. I could never contain you in a painting."

"Stop talking like that," she retorted.

"Like what?"

Bonnie blushed angrily.

"Like you have some designs on me. That letter you wrote, the gifts," she said, pointing at her dress and earrings, "the dance, these attentions… I know they're all for your benefit. You want me to keep helping you. You offered to find my mom, but you only did it to serve _yourself_. You want me to be your witch, don't you? Just say so, instead of beating around the bush."

Klaus tilted his head to the side. "Would you accept? To be my witch?"

"_No_. But showering me with these…empty flatteries won't do it either."

He walked up to her then, casual but alert, a secret threat in each step. Bonnie was reminded of Dyaba.

She stood her ground, even when his fingers reached out and touched the glimmering earrings against her cheek.

"I don't know what I want," he spoke softly.

Bonnie blinked.

"What?"

"I don't know what I want. I _should_ want you to be my witch. I suppose I do. I suppose I am trying to win you for my gain. But – there is something else I want from you and I don't quite know what it is. Your body is lovely, your spirit is admirable, your senses are sharp. And your beauty is undeniable. Perhaps... I simply fancy you."

Bonnie looked into his eyes which were dark and unfocused. He was staring at her but seeing something more than just herself. When their eyes met, she looked away.

"You _can't_," she said, her voice small, but firm. "You can't…fancy me. It's not right. It's not – we've tried to kill each other."

Klaus smiled bitterly. He looked at the drawings, poured out before her, like Dyaba's body, lying at her feet.

"Yes, the hybrid monster can't possibly feel anything beyond greed and lust for power. And no one can feel anything for him in return. A chant I know all too well."

Bonnie frowned, startled and disturbed by his words. She didn't know what he meant by them, but she didn't like this self-pity. It did not become him.

"You have to deserve it, whatever you want to inspire in others," she said, meeting his gaze steadily.

But he was cold again. The pervasive smirk was masking his features once more. She was almost disappointed. And _annoyed_. She wanted him to stop pretending for a moment longer.

"And," she added bravely, "I wouldn't believe everything your mother tells you. She seems like a real bitch."

Klaus looked up in shock. Bonnie felt a surge of satisfaction, watching his façade slip and falter. He roamed over her features with perplexity, but also – was she imagining this? – gratitude. He seemed unable to reply just yet.

"I think it's the first time you don't have anything to say. I like it," she teased, smiling to herself. "I wish your apparition would do the same. I need a good night's rest without worrying he'll pop up. _When_ is that going to end, by the way?"

Klaus kept staring at her in puzzlement.

"It's becoming a little aggravating," she explained, hoping he would stop looking at her as if she were speaking Aramaic. "I need it to stop."

"You still see my apparition. That's…not possible," he spoke at length.

"I _know_," she replied aggressively. "It's been more than a goddamn week, I thought your blood got out of my system."

"It should have," he said feverishly. "You shouldn't be able to see me…_him_ anymore."

"Wait. You mean you don't know that it's still happening?"

Klaus shook his head, his expression dark and filled with turmoil. "It shouldn't _be_ happening anymore. It was supposed to be a temporary bond. An aftermath of healing you, nothing more."

Bonnie bit her lip. "I don't know about temporary. But how could you _not_ know? Didn't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" he asked tensely. "Do you see him now, in this room with us?"

"You mean see _you_, the Other you? No! Klaus, what is going on –"

"I don't know. This is simply not possible."

Bonnie gaped at him. "You don't _know?_ You have to find out! It's your fault!"

Klaus placed a finger over her lips.

"Shh, not so loud, love. This could be potentially dangerous. We must be careful."

"There's no "_we_". _You_ have to fix this," she demanded sternly.

"And I will. But you must trust me, I have as much knowledge about this...anomaly as you do."

Bonnie believed him, because there was not only sincerity in his voice. There was also fear.

* * *

Finn Mikaelson stepped back from the heavy wooden doors. He smiled to himself absently. Mother would be pleased to find out what he had learned. Of course, she was going to be angry too.


	10. the bond

_A/N: hello again :) I'm back after a prolonged and exam-induced absence! I wanted to update sooner, but you know how it is. _

_I'd like to thank everyone who kept reading and left me reviews (we're almost close to 150!), you're so generous and wonderful. Many thanks to **PracticallyCharmed, sincerelyki, Anastasia-G, Gabby** (thank you, I'm so happy you liked Dyaba! and of course the klonnie moments, I enjoyed writing them too :), **Guest1** (thank you, I'm so glad you like my take on their development, I wouldn't want to rush it, but I'd also like to make it exciting, so I'm very pleased it's a good read so far), **LeilaniStar, brynnbrigham, Bennettore** (thank you, and more shall come!), **The Dreamer17**, **Red** (thank you, I'm glad you liked Dyaba since I have a soft spot for him myself. as for Esther, yes you should worry on Bonnie's account :s you'll find out more this chapter), **Lady Maurelle**, **Guest2** (aww, thank you, you're too kind!), **negrobarc, Guest3** (haha, you and me both, but that will have to wait a while), **Guest4** (that they are, thanks!), **Babaksmiles, nekittam, leni18, stefonniesalvatore, Guest5** (thank you, and stay tuned for more Dyaba too :), **iluvtodance, Kaya** (thanks &amp; i am!), **WearRedTonight, aprilf00l, fandoms4days, Guest6** (thanks so much, and I hope you won't be disappointed with what's coming!), **Guest7** (thanks, I'm glad you're pumped :), **Guest8** (thanks!)._

_So we're coming to the fourth part of the Ball which also propels the plot forward. This chapter is a bit filler, in that you find out a couple of things and some major twists are revealed. While Esther is still doing a spell to link her children, my version is pretty different and you'll see why and how. So, get ready for some answers and some Klonnie interaction :) Next chapter will be more action-packed. I hope everything makes sense, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Esther glanced at the red family tree with displeasure. It was not nearly as strong as she would have liked. Matter of fact, it was incomplete. Her son, Niklaus, the bane of her existence, had drunk too little of the wine for the connection to be fully formed. She had seen him take a gulp from his glass, but afterwards, he had left so quickly that she was sure he had spat the alcohol when he was out of sight. The boy born out of wedlock was cleverer than the rest. Fate was cruel.

But it would have to do. She would never get a better opportunity. The time was now. She had linked her children as one and soon, none of them would be left alive.

She only felt sorry for poor Finn, such a doting, faithful son. He thought she was giving them their humanity back. Little did he know.

At that moment, the doors to the study were pried open and – speak of the wolf himself, but not _that_ wolf – Finn Mikaelson made an entrance.

Her boy, however, looked perturbed. To a stranger, he might have seemed stern, but perfectly calm. She knew better.

"My son. Has something happened?"

He walked up to the table and looked down at the bloody family tree.

"In one way of speaking. We…might have a problem."

"You know how much I _love_ to hear that word," Esther sighed, wondering what fresh disaster Kol or Rebekah, or even Niklaus, had unleashed upon the unsuspecting public. "Well, do speak. It's better I hear it from you."

Finn tapped his fingers against the wood and looked away, as if reluctant to relay the news. He opened his mouth, nonetheless.

"The Bennett witch."

Esther snorted. "Yes, we _all_ saw her. Niklaus minded no expense, did he? He may deny any resemblance to Mikael, but the moment they see a pretty face…"

"I'm afraid it's more than the pretty face, Mother."

"Yes, he's also drawn to the fact that she's a witch. And she hails from a very powerful magical line. Still, he can't hope to achieve much with her. She is pure. I have seen and touched her. She'll never help him willingly. Much less consort with him."

Finn's eyebrows were screwed up in deliberation. He didn't seem to know how to tell her what he had to tell.

"That may be true but…I have a grim suspicion she's bonded herself to him."

The moment the words left his lips, the air in the room visibly changed. Esther's body went rigid. The candles flickered in the darkness of the room.

"What did you say?"

"I overheard them talking in his studio. I didn't catch everything they were saying, but he has fed her his blood."

Esther pursed her lips, grinding her teeth together. "That…is an inconvenience, but surely –"

"It's worse than that. The blood hasn't been flushed out of her body. She can still sense him when he's not there. She told him of these visions she's had of him. They should have disappeared after a day or two, but they didn't. And I know from what you've told me that a witch and another supernatural are bonded only when his blood does not leave her system."

Esther pressed a trembling fist to her mouth. Her rage was tainted with fear.

"Impossible. You can't have heard right. Finn – this – is – impossible."

"Yet…you taught me witches can bond themselves to others."

"Yes, but it does not happen after one miserable hybrid gives a Bennett witch his blood!"

"How does it happen, then?" Finn asked, his eyes growing fierce and dark.

Esther started pacing the room in anger. "_If_ it ever happens, it's a delicate process that can take years to accomplish!"

Finn looked lost amidst his mother's ruminations, but still, ever the good boy, he tried to be of some assistance.

"Well, perhaps there is another explanation for this…anomaly. Perhaps her visions are only visions."

"Or perhaps she is truly bonded to him and I must rethink my plan!" she cut him off harshly. "If you speak the truth, I can hardly grasp how it was possible!"

Finn bit his lip. "From what I know…and what Elijah has told me… the Bennett witch and my brother were no strangers before this blood sharing. Bitter enemies, yes, but they had already clashed spirits in battle. And I hear she almost killed him twice. She also had the power of one hundred witches during both attempts. It makes a smidgen of sense if..."

His mother twisted her fingers as she walked up and down the length of the Afghan carpet laid out in front of the fireplace.

"You don't actually think –"

Finn remained silent, not wishing to upset her, but Esther had caught on to his meaning immediately. He was ready to hear her rail against both Niklaus and the Bennett witch, but at the last moment, she burst into laughter. He staggered back in shock.

Esther's laugh was hateful, but full of warmth, as if she truly found the notion amusing.

"By Gaia herself! Only my doomed son could foster a bond with a witch through hatred and destruction! Oh, the irony is sweet! A bond requires a powerful connection and what is more powerful than _war_? Nothing. Nothing is more tantalizing than the thirst for bloodshed, feeling the pulse of your enemy's heart in the palm of your hand. And she must have felt that indeed! For if what you say is true, she is bound to him because she tried to kill him. His blood was the last ingredient necessary to complete it."

Esther clapped her hands, as if delighted with the resolution of a great mystery. But it was only bitter, feigned delight. Inside, she was seething.

"Mother?" Finn asked tentatively.

Esther wiped her eyebrows and smoothed away the deep lines of spite that had formed there. She would not be undone by "those Bennett harpies", as she called them in her mind. Abby had wormed her way into Mikael's life. Bonnie Bennett could do the same to Niklaus, but she would _not_ intervene with her plans.

"Does Niklaus know what her visions mean? Does he realize she's most likely bonded to him?"

Finn paused in thought.

"No…I believe he was quite surprised to hear it."

"Good. We only have a small window of time, then. He must not find out. A hybrid who's also got a witch on his side is not easily defeated."

"But he won't be a hybrid much longer, will he?" Finn replied, raising an eyebrow.

Esther smiled. "Well. A _werewolf_ with a witch is still not a very good thing."

She, at least, had this victory to look forward to. Niklaus had thought he had outsmarted her. He had truly thought after all these years she would be so naïve. But she had waited until the right moment to strike. It was _he_ who had wanted the doppelganger's blood removed from him. It was also _he_ who had brought her Elena Gilbert on a silver platter. He had foolishly believed he would be stronger this way, unfettered, and free to keep making hybrids without constantly requiring a Petrova blood bank.

But the best way to defeat one's enemy is to let him defeat himself.

She had known from the start Niklaus would never agree, of his own accord, to give up his hybridity. So she had let him "fool" her. She had let him think she had lost. She had pretended that removing the doppelganger's blood only made him more powerful. Quite the opposite.

"Soon, your brother will be merely wolf again…and you, my darlings, whom I've linked to him, will be mortal once more. I promise."

For it would have been impossible to remove the doppelganger blood from all of her children. This way, Niklaus would unite them and reverse the spell which had turned them into creatures of the night.

Finn gave her a rare, soft smile. Though he was still worried about what he had overheard, every time his mother spoke of the prospect of a human life, he gained new hope.

_Oh, my son. It's a pity you won't be human again for long_, Esther thought with some chagrin. She was going to end them all, once they became mortal, fragile and killable. Finn suspected nothing. Like lamb to slaughter.

"But we must not lose sight of what you've told me. The Bennett hussy can still spoil our plans. She has my son's blood still running through her veins. Niklaus will try to fight this spell, once he finds out he's becoming a werewolf again."

Her eyes were liquid amber. "We must capture Bonnie Bennett. And kill her."

* * *

Bonnie felt an endless pit where her stomach should have been. Klaus was shaking her shoulders lightly, trying to get her to pay attention, but her thoughts were jumbled, her mind was running in circles, and all she could think of was, _He doesn't know! He doesn't know!_

She would have hoped that Klaus had some answers for the apparitions. But if he was in the dark with her, that meant the explanation was more insidious, and possibly, more dangerous than she had ever envisioned. She could already picture ghastly scenarios wherein she would have to hurt herself or others to get rid of this abnormality.

"Bonnie. Listen to me. I will get to the bottom of this. There's no need to despair," he was saying in a surprisingly soft tone.

"No need to despair?! Klaus, you're in my house! In my bedroom!"

She was perhaps speaking too passionately, forgetting herself. But panic was spiking through her every nerve.

"It's not me, love," he replied dryly. "If it had been - trust me - you would have _known_. It's only an apparition."

"_Great_, but how do I know you can't see what he sees? You've taunted me about it before. When I came here with my mom and we talked about waking up Esther? You made it seem like you knew."

"And I _did_. I knew you would feel my presence in some form, until the blood flushed out of your system. I was counting on a day or two. No more."

Bonnie knew she already believed him, but arguing with him gave her control. She had lost most of it, and it scared her. He, on the other hand, was disturbed, but much calmer than her.

His eyes were calculating. He was preoccupied with what this news meant for him, she could tell. She resented his selfishness, but she understood it too. He had just found out his apparition still had power over a Bennett witch. He would be daft not to take the advantages into account.

"A day or two is still bad," she reminded him.

"Not as bad as what you're experiencing now, I gather."

She drew away from his arms, feeling stifled by his presence in this small room, where their shared solitude clashed with the now reaffirmed battle lines settled between them.

"You talk like you're innocent. This is still _your_ fault. If you hadn't told Tyler to bite Caroline, he wouldn't have bitten me and –"

"Well, if we go around casting the blame we might as well charge Katherine for turning your blonde friend into a creature vulnerable to the bite, and the Salvatores, for taking my coffins. And we might go back a couple of centuries and blame a dozen more vampires, but we would reach the same conclusion," he replied curtly.

"Which is?"

"That no one is innocent."

"Really? Is that what you think? That everyone's responsible?" she countered heatedly.

"It's what I _know_. My actions may seem repulsive now, but look into your friends' moral acumen and you will find it severely lacking."

Bonnie shook her head. "You can point fingers all you want, but don't pretend this isn't your doing, Klaus. _Don't_. You had to give me blood, because you made a _mistake_. If Caroline had been bitten instead of Tyler, you wouldn't have moved a finger. Your plan was to let her die. You premeditated that."

Klaus clenched his jaw, the bones protruding like the shadow of a blade.

"_Yes_. Yes, I would have let her die. But I didn't let _you_. Does that mean nothing?"

Bonnie blinked in shock. "You admit it. Just like that. You would've let her _die_."

"Does it mean nothing that I saved your life, when I could have had my vengeance and simply let you perish?" he continued, gaining momentum.

Bonnie was backed up against the paneled wall. Her breath was coming up short in her throat.

"You needed me alive so you could revive Esther."

"If you think I put all my stock in you and your absentee mother, you've grossly underestimated me. You just happened to align with my plans."

Bonnie felt herself being pinned to the wall, unable to move away from him.

"You _still_ would have murdered Caroline in cold blood."

Klaus parted his lips, resting one arm against the wall next to her head.

"And doesn't it affect you? That I am capable of terrible things, and yet for some reason, stop myself when it comes to you?"

Bonnie looked away. "You've hurt me plenty of times."

"And you've hurt _back_. Admit it, there is an allure to my monstrosity being unleashed upon everyone but you."

Bonnie steeled herself against his words. She didn't know what to think anymore. He fancied her, but he was also clearly manipulating her. Yet, it felt _different _somehow. He may have used her, but he was also trying to gain her affection by claiming – claiming that she was an exception. And to be singled out like this was a heady notion. A rush of blood to the head. Too much truth, too many lies.

"A minute ago you were telling me you don't want to be seen as a hybrid _monster_," she replied in an even voice.

Klaus smiled, tilting his head to the side. "What I said, if you recall, is that people think a monster can only feel greed and lust for _power_. But a monster can be quite efficient…even if his greed and lust are directed at a girl with emerald-green eyes."

Bonnie saw that his eyes reflected his words, but she could not tell which Klaus was genuine; the one who had, moments before, been upset that no one could feel anything for the monster, or the one who reveled in his nature, and embraced both her and his darkness. Perhaps the third Klaus, her apparition, was wiser than both.

He had spoken of love as a disease, but greed and lust were quite different things. Greed and lust were no weakness; not in his eyes.

Bonnie wanted to laugh. Why did words such as "love" cross her mind when she was standing inches away from the creature that would have killed all her family and friends and stood over their corpses with triumph? He might as well have been the very opposite of love.

Yet her body trembled oddly at the idea that he felt greed and lust for her. She was ashamed. There was a dark chamber in her mind that responded to this odd call. It did not help that he was so close to her and that his arm was draped ever so casually beside her, trapping her against him.

_I am capable of terrible things, and yet for some reason, stop myself when it comes to you._

She suppressed a small shudder, a little thrill she killed before it hatched. She would not reveal to him that she was affected. She would not give him that satisfaction. She looked into his eyes, unimpressed.

"Your point being?" she drawled sternly.

"My point being… you need to _trust_ me, Bonnie. I prize you enough not to let you get harmed. And I will solve this minor inconvenience before it becomes a hazard to you," he claimed, effortlessly switching back to his calculating self.

Before Bonnie could utter a reply, there was a knock at the door.

"Boss, it's me," Tony's voice announced from the other side.

"Come in," Klaus ordered, stepping away from Bonnie who imperceptibly let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, I ah, see you're occupied. Wouldn't want to ruin the mood," Tony said as soon as he saw Bonnie pinned to the wall and Klaus parting from her.

The witch threw him a furious, blushing glare. _This isn't what it looks like._

Tony only raised an amused eyebrow.

"Tell me what you are here for, before I lose my patience," Klaus warned.

"Oookay. Minor problem with the new hybrids. Nothing to worry about," he said, casting Bonnie a glance, unsure if he should continue in front of her, "…just some hiccups. But you should probably know about it. There's also Mama Mikaelson and her crazy-pants."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Let's talk outside, then." He turned to her with a serious mien.

"I'd advise you to stay here and wait for me, love."

"I'd listen to him," Tony confirmed. "Rebekah is drunk and in a pretty vulnerable state right now. I don't even want to know what Kol is doing…or who. But anyway, not a good time to go back downstairs."

"Are you kidding me? I have to go and protect the town and my friends."

Klaus spoke softly, but firmly. "I'm _sure_ you can be spared. There are more immediate matters at hand. Wait for me here."

"But –"

"_Bonnie_. What did I say? Trust me."

She wanted to protest. _You've given me absolutely no reason to trust you._

But deep down, she did. If only for tonight.

So when the two hybrids, master and attendant, left the room in a hurry, she leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm in trouble," she said to no one in particular.

She could hear her own heartbeats, in time with the grandfather clock she heard ticking outside the room. She started pacing, bunching the folds of her dress in her fists, letting their foamy cress anchor her in this stormy sea. Her earrings clinked with each step.

At length, she couldn't look at Klaus' sketches and his sleeping easel with the patience that was required of her. Tony had locked the door in his wake, but a simple spell pried it open.

_I'm sorry, Klaus. I can't sit this one out. _

She didn't know why she was apologizing. Truly, he was not worth any kind gesture. Except that wasn't always true and she was loath to admit it.

She walked out into the dark corridor.


	11. the war

_A/N: hello again :) It's been a while, but I am very glad to be back! This chapter took a bit longer to brush up because it's quite substantial, but I hope you'll be pleased with how it turned out.  
_

_I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing even during my absence. You're all stars! Many thanks to **brynnbrigham, Gabby** (yep, they are bonded by accident, and it will be one heck of a realization for both her and Klaus, but I can't say more about that, because the bond will appear again in future chapters and you'll see how it will affect Esther and her plans), **LeilaniStar, PracticallyCharmed, Anastasia-G, Guest1** (I'm glad he does, he's one of my favorites!), **negrobarc, Bennettore** (hah, yes, Bonnie is unfortunately hardwired like that, although her attitude towards her own welfare will change throughout the fic. Can't say much about the rest, though!), **BlueLilyInDarkness, Red** (aww, seems a lot of people were expecting a kiss, and no worries, that will come at some point in the near future! I'm very happy you're enjoying the story!) **tnguyen10, Lady Maurelle, nacy3451, Guest2** (haha, I'm glad you agree because I also think it's extremely fitting for who they are to bond like that), **leni18, Guest3** (well, I'm afraid there's going to be more tension until they finally go at it, but that's part of the fun), **Azera-v, Guest4** (awww, you don't know how happy I am that my Dracula reenactment was to your liking! I've always wanted to pay an homage to that movie. Thank you, and no worries, Dyaba will appear again soon!), **Guest5** (that's so lovely to hear! I'm glad this story has inspired you! Yes, Klonnie is absolute perfection), **bluemagicrose, stormphoenix925.** _

_So, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me!_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

"No."

It was the only word he could muster without dissolving into furious, helpless growls.

_"No."_

Every time he said it, it only got worse. A bitter, poisonous taste filled his mouth to the brim. He felt like crushing the life force he held in his hands, but ironically, he wanted nothing more than to preserve it.

The hybrid girl's head fell into her chest, as if she were a simple puppet, and the strings had been cut. But no, she was still alive. Only, she was in a great deal of pain. Her breath was faint and blood was coming out of her nostrils.

He held up her chin and tried to pry her eyes open.

Tony was crouched next to him. He was splashing the girl's inert face with water, but it did little good.

"Boss, is she -"

"I don't know!" he retorted harshly. "But nothing else explains this alteration. She is rejecting my blood. And she is becoming werewolf again." They both knew what this meant. Much like Klaus' first failed experiments, this young girl was going to die.

Except, she had been made to triumph. She had been made with the certainty that she was going to live. And now that certainty was gone.

Klaus was not one to bandy pretty words for the sake of morale. He preferred to stare tragedy in the face, but even he felt his voice losing edge as he sealed her fate. "She won't survive."

His child was going to die. She had been one of the new ones. She had drunk his doppelganger-free blood. And she was breathing for the last time.

Klaus looked up at his right-hand man and studied him sharply.

"Anthony, how do you feel -?"

Tony gulped. Klaus never called him by his full name unless the situation was dire. He put a hand on his master's shoulder.

"I'm okay. No bleeding. I feel just fine...for now."

Klaus nodded, his expression implacable and to some, unreadable. But Tony knew better. He saw the worry and pain, clearly mirrored in his master's eyes. He wished he could do something to give him hope.

"So, then..." Klaus drawled in an austere tone. "It's only the new ones that are affected."

Four other newly minted hybrids lay on the floor of his bedroom, unconscious and bleeding. Six more could still stand, but were extremely nauseous and scared.

Tony and two other old hybrids were trying to handle the situation, but without much success.

"Boss. We need doppelganger blood. I'll go find Elena Gilbert."

Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Send Charlie and Alan. I need you here. Although I have a feeling Elena's blood won't amount to much."

Tony nodded grimly and instructed his subordinates to go find the girl.

"Try to be discreet about it, and if Esther or the Salvatores have already got her, do not act without reinforcement. Be careful," Klaus warned, looking at them as if he was sending them to war.

Tony turned back to his master.

"Boss. We're ready to fight. I lined up the family. The old ones are not going to -" _Die._ He couldn't say it. He couldn't say the word. Because the new hybrids were being sent to an early grave and staying silent on their fate was preferable. Maybe there'd be a last-minute miracle and none of his new brothers and sisters had to - _die._ He could hardly bear to look at them. He felt as if a limb was being torn from him. He couldn't imagine how much worse Klaus felt.

The Original was trying to quash his grief. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to conquer this crisis.

"Esther is waiting for an attack," he said, placing the hybrid girl down on the blanket. "Since she is expecting it, she'll have a plan at hand. What I _don't_ know is whether all my siblings are privy to it. But it doesn't matter, I suppose. The house is surrounded. We still have enough good men and women. She can't touch the old ones."

"Do you think the toast thing had anything to do with it? She tried to give you that wine."

"She did. It was probably a distraction, because this...this is not that. This is the consequence of having Mother removing the doppelganger blood from me." His voice was tremulous. A wrong move and he would snap. The anger that coursed through him was infernal. He would have _no_ mercy for her. This time, he'd make sure she was dead to her very soul.

"When I am done with her, the spirits will only have ashes," he hissed, clenching his fingers around the back of a chair.

"Boss, you're -"

Tony stood next to him and pointed to his nose.

Klaus was confused, at first. And then he felt a hotness, just above his lip. He tasted blood. He was bleeding.

"Jesus Christ," Tony expelled.

Klaus felt dizzy, although he could still keep himself upright. He leaned against his desk and inhaled large amounts of oxygen. Of course. In the midst of his concern for his new children, he had forgotten about himself. Esther had tricked him. He understood this now. She had always wanted to take his doppelganger blood out. He had been rash, too confident in his victory over her. He had confused strength with weakness. Now, he would pay. But _she_ would pay too.

"Boss, what's happening to you?" Tony mumbled, frightened.

Klaus remembered now that for the past few days he had barely fed, and had felt little need for blood. He remembered other telling signs he had chosen to ignore.

_Fool that I am._

He had been betrayed by family again. No surprise there.

"Please, don't tell me you're going to -"

"She can't kill me," Klaus breathed, wiping the blood from his nose. "I'm an Original. _The_ Original." He left out "Hybrid".

He turned around and looked at his fallen army. He still had soldiers to spare. Some of his children would live. They had been made before this mess had started.

But he realized there and then, that these would be the last hybrids he would ever have.

The realization was like falling into a bottomless pit.

With the Petrova magic expunged from him, he was just a wolf. And any new child he'd try to birth would die. Just like the young hybrid girl, whose strings had been cut. She was sleeping at his feet, soon to be sleeping forever.

It hurt to understand he had done this to himself. It hurt to accept he had conjured his own fall.

But he wouldn't fall yet.

"Anthony."

"Niklaus," Tony offered, solemnly.

"Let's give them hell."

* * *

Bonnie could hear it now. The ruckus. It was deceptive, though. For all she knew, these could be the sounds of people enjoying themselves. Except, this was the Mikaelson Ball, not some high school keg party. Which left option number two: there was a fight going on.

Bonnie went to the nearest window and looked outside.

The mansion was surrounded by a line of hybrids. They looked just about ready to bite someone. Some of the townspeople had spilled outside on the veranda and were trying to break through the line.

Bonnie's heart stopped. Matt and Caroline had dashed outside. Her friends looked completely rattled. Matt was holding a hand to his neck and Caroline was trying to get him to drink her blood. Matt pushed her aside. He staggered to one of the hybrids and started shouting in his face.

Bonnie turned away. She needed to get downstairs immediately. She had wasted all this time with Klaus, safely hidden in his rooms, and she had let down her friends -

"I wouldn't be concerned for them."

The voice made her jump, and the surprise left her unguarded. The vampire had already enveloped her and had sunk his fangs into her neck.

Bonnie screamed.

He was strong. Much stronger than Stefan or Damon. She tried to give him an aneurysm. He moaned into her neck, but didn't let go. The intensity of his grip cut off her breath. She tried harder, but he was gulping her blood so fast, she could barely keep up.

She reached out with her hand and tried to scratch his face. She made a sorry attempt to hit him in the groin. To little avail.

Bonnie closed her eyes. She searched deep within her for a spell that would overpower him, but her strength was fading fast. She screamed again, this time in Latin.

He groaned heavily and stopped drinking. His fangs withdrew from her skin, but he still held her tight.

"You are quite vexing, my dear. But you're right. Mother said she would do it herself, for a witch is dead only when she is killed by another witch. Or so the superstition goes."

Bonnie's heart rose to her throat.

_Killed. By another witch._

Esther was going to kill her. And this man - one of her murderous sons - was taking her to the slaughter. The madness of it almost made her laugh. The night had started with her walking through the mansion doors with only a vague idea of danger in her head. How naive she had been. Is that why Klaus had told her to stay in - but her thoughts were silenced, because the vampire pressed a thumb to the gash on her neck.

"Aah!"

"It hurts, doesn't it? Don't worry. It won't hurt much longer."

She gasped, but pretended to fall deeper into his arms. If this was an Original, she needed to be smart. She leaned her head against his chest, which was not hard to do since she felt exhausted.

"Let me guess. You feel very tired. It's the blood loss. Now, be a good witch and come with me quietly. If you don't struggle, you'll find peace more easily. The spirit world is kind to its own."

She turned around fast, and punched him straight in the face.

"How's that for superstition?"

Bonnie only saw his face in a blur, because the next moment, she was yelling _"Motus!"_ at the top of her lungs.

She didn't look back. She just ran, as quick as her feet could take her. She heard a ripping sound, like seams coming undone. Her dress was torn. She gathered the hem and left one shoe behind, like Cinderella.

* * *

She only managed to reach the stairs, before she was stopped in her tracks by the spoils of war, arrayed in front of her like Klaus' sketches.

Chairs had been toppled, tables turned upside down. A chandelier was swinging violently. Glass everywhere.

She registered movement from the corner of her eye. Rebekah was fighting Stefan and she was winning. Damon was sprawled on the floor. He was being held down by Elijah. Townspeople were screaming. Another Original, who looked very much like trouble, was driving them out of the house.

But the real centerpiece was in the entrance hall. Klaus' hybrids had surrounded the person in charge of all this mayhem.

Esther Mikaelson was standing in the circle she had drawn, holding Elena Gilbert captive. Her friend was kneeling at the witch's feet, holding her head in her hands.

_Why aren't the hybrids attacking her?_

Because they couldn't. Esther had them trapped in a spell.

Bonnie had seconds at her disposal to lay out the winners and losers and figure out which side she was on.

Esther was the enemy. The Originals were - probably - enemies.

Klaus' hybrids?

Allies.

Behind her, she heard heavy footsteps.

"Finn! Finish the witch!" Esther cried, upon seeing Bonnie.

The Original came from behind, but she was ready, or at least she thought she was.

"Phesmatos incendia!" she yelled into his face. The fire confused him more than hurt him, but it would do. Bonnie tossed the flames in his direction, blinding him at each step. She clambered down the stairs, trying to keep from breaking her own neck.

"Finn! Kill her!" Esther cried again.

"Mother!" he yelled. _"You_ said you would do it!"

"Now, you fool! Kill her now!"

But Bonnie was driving ten aneurysms into his skull. Finn growled and sped into her, toppling her down the stairs.

They fell together in a heap of fangs and emerald. Bonnie felt her magic pouring out of her, trying to shield her from the fall. She had never felt more grateful to her innate instincts.

When she opened her eyes, Finn Mikaelson was on top of her and the swinging chandelier was right above his head.

"Remove yourself from her, Brother, or I will remove you for good."

Bonnie's heart leaped madly in her chest. She had never been gladder to hear Klaus' voice.

In one quick motion, Finn lifted her up by the neck and held her there, ready to twist her joints into stillness.

"I would not take one more step, Niklaus," he warned, gripping her throat.

Bonnie tried to throw another spell at him, but she suddenly found her powers lacking. They were still _there,_ but they were weakened, as if an impenetrable wall was standing between them and her target.

"Something missing, Bonnie?" Esther asked in a saccharine voice.

Bonnie growled and forced her powers to break through the Original Witch's wall. The Bennett line was strong, and she was not about to be cowered by someone like her.

"I wouldn't be so eager to break my spell. After all, Elena Gilbert can only live so long."

That seemed to stop her cold. Bonnie had nearly forgotten. How could she _forget? _Her friend was still lying at Esther's feet and she still looked like she was in pain. Bonnie bit her tongue. _Don't hurt her_, she wanted to say. But she couldn't, because Finn was trying to break her esophagus.

She could see Klaus coming at them from the other side of the hall. Something was wrong. He was _running._ Not speeding. And he looked worse for wear. His chin was bloody.

But he didn't run towards her and Finn.

He ran towards Esther.

He knew his brother well.

Finn eased his grip on Bonnie and looked towards his mother. That's when she aimed a kick at his groin, and this time, she didn't miss.

She slipped through his fingers, but he dragged her down by her dress. Bonnie fought him off with her fists.

"Goodbye, Bonnie Bennett," Finn muttered, bringing his hands to her head.

That's when she saw Klaus jumping at him from behind and sinking his teeth into Finn's throat. Bonnie wanted to scream, but her mouth was filled up with bile and she just stared in shock.

Finn howled and rolled off of her.

"What are you doing?! Finn! Finn!" Esther boomed with so much strength that the broken glass started flying into the air.

"YOU WANTED ME TO BE A WOLF, MOTHER?" Klaus hollered viciously, rising with a bloody grin, eyes yellow and ferocious. "HERE IS YOUR WOLF." He sank his teeth into his brother's neck once more. He was ripping him apart.

Klaus' expensive tux could barely contain his limbs anymore. He broke out of their confinement with the ease of the beast. He looked feral.

Bonnie shivered uncontrollably. She crawled on her hands and knees, trying to find something to hold onto. Where was Stefan - and Damon? Caroline? Matt?

"That's enough, Niklaus!" Esther yelled imperiously, although there was fear in her voice. "Unless you want your miserable litter to die a painful death, you will retract those claws!"

"You don't have the power to do it!" he roared. "I have dozens waiting outside for my signal!"

"Suit yourself."

And then, right before Bonnie's eyes, Esther flicked her wrist once and the hybrids standing around her fell to the ground. Like flies. Their hearts had burst out of their chest.

Klaus was frozen in place.

"The question, Niklaus, is not whether I have the power, but whether _you_ still do. I'm afraid you look a bit under the weather. A wolf does not have much authority, it would seem."

"Oh yes, he does."

Bonnie looked up sharply. Tony threw himself at Esther from behind, but he was pushed aside by Elijah, who had apparently gotten rid of Damon.

"Enough! This violence stops now!" he yelled with authority, holding Klaus' right-hand man by the collar of his shirt.

"Elijah!" Esther beckoned. "This is _my_ fight. You had better take care of the townspeople. And make sure your siblings don't hurt anyone."

"Mother -"

"Do as I say! Niklaus and his hybrids will be vanquished. _Tonight."_

"Let me have Elena Gilbert," Elijah countered, dropping Tony to the floor.

"No. I cannot entrust her to you. She is only safe with me."

Bonnie got up shakily. Esther had just revealed her weakness. Big mistake. She could almost smile.

"You won't kill Elena."

The Original Witch's eyes landed on her figure. A sinister smile broadened her lips. "No. But I will kill _you,_ little minx."

"Why don't you go ahead and try?" Bonnie yelled back, and the terror she had felt moments before turned into hot white anger. "Because now I know I don't have to hold back."

She built up as much power as she was able to in her small fists and stomped her foot down on the marble floor, making the ground clatter.

Esther chuckled. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

Bonnie's lips were a thin line. Would she be a match for Esther? She had to trust that she would. She had faced so many dangers, had confronted so many villains who were supposed to be stronger than her, that she wouldn't despair now.

The Original Witch raised an arm towards her and Bonnie could feel the static in the air, the volatile essence of her magic about to overwhelm her.

But she was not the one who was overwhelmed. Because that volatile essence wasn't coming from Esther. In fact, it made the Original Witch falter. Esther careened and stumbled, barely keeping her balance against the attack.

"Don't even _think_ about touching my daughter, you conniving bitch."

Bonnie's knees almost gave in too.

The woman who strode into the entrance hall wore a murderous look on her face. Abby Bennett had never looked more livid.

"I should've known you would show up, eventually. My husband's wind-up toy is never far behind," Esther spat, rising to her full power again.

"Good to see you too, Esther. You look tired. And old," Abby taunted, eyes spitting fire.

The Original Witch laughed. "Is that so? I hear blood baths are good for the face."

Abby flung another heavy attack in her direction. "Then let me give you a hand!"

Bonnie had never felt prouder of her mother. She looked in awe as Abby Bennett blocked and repelled Esther's onslaught at every turn. She had never seen her look so powerful. Her jaw nearly fell open when the two witches' magic clashed in one powerful spark and the chandelier started breaking from the ceiling.

Bonnie's eyes traveled to the person standing under it.

Klaus was kneeling over his dead hybrids, holding their hearts in his palms as if they were precious gems. He looked ashen and feverish and blood kept pouring out of his nose. He was not feeling all right. Otherwise, she didn't doubt he would have joined Abby in her attack.

"Klaus -" she started. The chandelier was going to fall.

"Klaus!"

But someone got there just in time. Tony sped up to him and grabbed him by the waist, dragging him away from the corpses.

"Come on, Bennett!" Tony whirled past her and grabbed her hand.

"Tony, my mom -!"

"- can handle Esther! But we have to go! Now!"

He didn't give her much room to argue. Bonnie darted her eyes to her mother. Abby spared her a glance, and when she nodded her head, Bonnie knew she had talked to Tony beforehand.

_Get out_, her mother mouthed silently.

So she left herself be sped out through the back doors. She didn't have much strength left anyway.

* * *

"Tony, the rest of the hybrids are still behind!"

Her voice sounded shrill to her own ears, but she couldn't have stopped if she'd wanted to. Her head almost hit the ceiling as they drove over another hurdle in the road. Tony swerved down a bend at maximum speed. Her stomach hurled in protest.

"The new ones are dying out anyway, and the old ones will be smart enough to follow the plan!" he hollered over his shoulder.

"What plan? What goddamn plan could you possibly have?!"

"Just let me drive, Bennett! And keep an eye on the boss!"

On cue, Klaus wheezed and coughed up more blood. Bonnie wiped it away with the hem of her dress.

She was sitting in the back of Tony's car, with Klaus' head on her lap. A position that was hardly enviable. The Original breathed in and out with some difficulty, but he was alive. There was a rattling sound that came deep from his lungs every time he tried to move. She made him sit still. He persisted in fighting her.

"You're going to kill yourself at this rate!" she cried, putting a hand over his chest, while with the other, she covered his fever-ridden forehead. He was abnormally hot. Her palm was singed.

"I - need - to - Esther - hybrids," he muttered deliriously.

Bonnie bit her tongue. She had never felt more afraid in her life. But she had to overcome this fear at the moment.

"No, you don't. We're far away from her now." Or so she hoped. The way Tony was driving though, they would probably reach the border soon. Any border.

"Just - just breathe and try not to move," she instructed, wiping away the sweat from his brow.

Klaus' eyes darted without purpose for several moments until they settled on her face. He blinked, trying to fix her on his retina.

"Bonnie."

He grimaced. Bonnie thought he was going to cough blood again, but he was frowning in a way that went beyond physical pain.

She didn't know what to do. If someone had told her two weeks ago that she'd be cradling the Original Hybrid in her lap, she would have laughed in their face.

Yet, was he a hybrid, still?

"Tony, what did Klaus mean when he said he was a wolf?"

"You know what it means," he replied with a sternness that made her insides churn.

"He's - he's a werewolf."

"Transitioning back into one, I'd wager. That's why he's in this shitload of pain."

Bonnie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She only smelled copper and sweat. Esther had removed the doppelganger blood from his system. It had been a mistake.

_Their_ mistake.

She had thought it would unfetter Elena from Klaus. He had thought he would unfetter himself from the past. But this error of judgment had ended up killing innocent lives. The new hybrids. And Klaus? Klaus was no innocent. He had said it himself; no one was.

But he didn't deserve _this._ Did he?

"He won't die, Bonnie," Tony murmured sadly, as if he'd guessed her thoughts. "He _can't._ He's still - boss."

Somewhere inside her head, the voice of morality was asking: wouldn't the world be a better place if he did die? She couldn't and _didn't_ want to indulge the voice of morality after what she had witnessed tonight.

"Where are we going? Tony, please answer me."

"Somewhere safe. Somewhere no one knows except me and him," he replied curtly, and judging by his tone, he didn't intend to tell her more.

Bonnie was about to protest, when she caught Klaus moving again.

He tried to raise a hand towards her face, but he didn't make it halfway. It fell right back on his chest. He grunted and tried again. She could see the veins bulging under his skin, could see the strain of his muscles.

Bonnie captured his hand. His fingers gripped hers with such intensity that she gasped.

But she didn't let go. She let him hold her hand through the night.

His eyes softened gradually. He was looking at her, but it wasn't _her_ he saw. She could only guess at his dreams.

She stared at their fingers, interlaced across his chest. She could hear his heart thumping stubbornly against his rib cage.

Inexplicably, this made her feel - better? No. It just made her _feel._

When she chanced to glance out the window, she almost thought she saw the shadow of a wolf, running through the trees.


	12. the chase

_A/N: hello again, a faster update this time around! The chapter is a bit smaller, but only because a lot of stuff is happening fast. You can probably tell it's going to be a quick ride from the title :)_

_Thanks to all the wonderful reviewers who make my day brighter: **Azera-v, Le1a Naberr1e, negrobarc, Anastasia-G, PracticallyCharmed, Babaksmiles** (I know how you feel and don't worry, the Bennetts are gonna strike back for sure!), **8goose8,** **Lady Maurelle**, **Bennettore** (thank you! I'm so glad Klaus' torment came across well in the chapter, since it was one of my main concerns going into it. And I'm equally happy you liked Dyaba and Tony), **TheDreamer17, Gabby** (so flattered the story is your favorite! Also, no, Finn is alive because Originals are not affected by werewolf/hybrid bites. It was addressed in one of the episodes, I think. But Klaus did weaken Finn, that's for sure), **Guest1** (I ship it too, and thank you!), **sandymorganlopez, Guest2** (aww, thank you, I'm really honored you think so! Enjoy the new update! As for Klaus' siblings, we'll find out where their loyalties lie in later chapters), **eva505.**_

_So, this chapter has a bit of a humorous side? I'll find out from your reactions. _

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie had a hard time extracting any information out of Tony while he drove them down the interstate. She figured they were going south because the road signs all showed they had crossed into North Carolina, but he was mum about their actual destination. At one point, they left the main highway and traveled down some roads that looked deserted and not very safe.

Her legs were numb from Klaus' weight. She couldn't feel her fingers either, because he was still grasping her hand in his. He didn't seem to register that fact, because his eyes were closed. He looked relatively peaceful, but the hard lines around his mouth and the crease between his eyebrows told a different story. Deep down, he was tense and restless.

"Okay, if you're not going to tell me where we're headed, can we at least stop for a break? I doubt Esther is right behind us," she complained, leaning her head against the window pane.

Tony sighed. "We'll make a stop at a gas station pretty soon. Just…keep him going, all right?"

"I don't know how I'm supposed to do that."

"You're a witch, Bennett. Figure it out."

"You said he's not dying."

"He's in pain, though," the hybrid muttered, switching lanes as he overtook a large van, their only other companion on this side of the road.

Bonnie shifted her weight. Pain shot up her calves. Her muscles were strained. She tried to wrestle her hand out of Klaus' hold, but he would not budge. She groaned. Using only one hand, she moved his head gently and freed herself a little from his body. The Original grunted in his sleep and turned his head towards her.

"Shh, it's okay," she mumbled, feeling extremely stupid. She was cooing at Klaus Mikaelson. Something was not right with the world.

She tried to remember the calming spells Sheila had taught her when she had been stressed with exams. Klaus probably needed something stronger than anti-anxiety magic, but this would have to do for now. She placed her palm over his forehead and started chanting softly.

It didn't take long for his face to grow a little less tense. The crease between his brows did not fade, but it was visibly smaller. She felt a weird sense of accomplishment. Perhaps the night had gone terribly wrong, but at least her spells could still do some good.

She looked out the window to find that the skies were murky-grey. Light was creeping in at the edge of the horizon. It would soon be dawn. She did not really welcome the intrusion of daylight at the moment. Night time was safer. Night time could hide the blood. It was one thing to leave Klaus in the car while they stopped for some rest, but it she or Tony would have to get out eventually, and they were both splattered in red.

_Listen to yourself. You're worried about strangers. Worry about Esther and – Mom._

Bonnie still couldn't believe Abby had come to their rescue. She felt so grateful, yet so confused about her presence there. Had Tony called her? Had Klaus invited her, after all? Or had she simply known to come? She wasn't ready to find out. But she was growing increasingly alarmed at the thought of her mother getting harmed. What if Esther and Finn ganged up on her and she was overpowered? They should have waited for her, they shouldn't have left without her. She almost wanted to beg Tony to turn back -

_No. No, don't think like that. She'll be okay. Stefan and Damon will help her – or Elijah, he'll make Esther stop, he hates violence…_

But how could Esther's children help Abby over their mother? She didn't know if it was only Finn who was on her side. She didn't know many things. The lines were blurred. Enemies and allies had merged together until she couldn't tell who was who. She'd gotten in a car with a hybrid and an Original and she'd taken it for granted that she was on the right side. But in someone else's eyes (Caroline, Elena, Matt…) _she_ was probably the enemy.

"Hey, you okay?"

She hadn't even noticed the car had stopped. Tony was opening her door. She blinked, mystified.

"Yeah. No. I don't know."

"Good answer. So, there's a gas station a couple of feet ahead. We both look like hell, but we'll have to wing it. You go first. I'll watch over boss."

It took some time for her to understand what he was saying. He helped her get out of the car. It was a bit of a hassle rolling Klaus off of her. He moaned, disgruntled, when he was dropped unceremoniously on the backseat.

Once she put her feet down on the ground, she realized just how tired she was.

"Right. So we need to make you look semi-decent," Tony surmised, looking over her torn dress. She was half-naked.

He walked to the trunk of the car and took out a hoodie and some cargo pants.

"This will have to do."

Bonnie grabbed the clothes. "What about shoes?"

Tony looked down at her feet. "Jesus, when'd you lose them?"

"You know we've just been through a huge fight, right?" she asked, dryly.

"But those things cost a fortune!"

"Yes, well, they're someone else's fortune now, so shoes?"

He rummaged through the trunk and found an old pair of sneakers, too big for her feet, but Bonnie grabbed them either way. She moved to the other side of the car and started undressing quickly. The cold made the blisters and gashes on her skin feel like icicles, digging into her flesh. She threw on the pants and hoodie and sank her feet in the giant sneakers.

"You look like an angry clown," Tony remarked matter-of-factly when she came back to his side.

Bonnie glanced down. Her entire attire was bulky and large and yes, ridiculous. She had to remind herself she'd started the night in a luxurious emerald dress.

"What will you be wearing?" she asked, staring at his blood-soaked shirt.

"I'll find something in the trunk."

"Why do you have clothes -" But then she stopped short, because she knew exactly _why_. Klaus' hybrids sometimes got their hands dirty on whatever messed up mission they were sent. They had to be prepared. She shuddered, but pushed the thought aside. The hybrids were not the enemy now.

She grabbed some money from him and promised to make it quick. Water, food, alcohol – the kind you rub on wounds.

"Bonnie, wait."

"Huh?"

Tony stepped close to her and pulled the emerald earrings out of her earlobes.

"Probably not a good idea to go inside with these."

Bonnie looked down at the glittering drops in his palm and felt strangely sad to see them go.

"I'll be back in a minute."

* * *

_Good grief. Tony wasn't kidding. _

Bonnie splashed her face with heaps of water. Her makeup had run down and her face looked blotched and weary in the neon bathroom light. She grabbed napkins and started cleaning her face. The shop keeper had thrown her some strange looks when she'd gone past him with her hood up, but she intended to make him a happy man by making a large purchase once she was out of the bathroom.

Although, she was not sure if she wanted to move away from the sink. She felt a little nauseous.

_I'm on the run. And I look like a homeless person. _

What would Bonnie Bennett be doing on a normal Thursday night? Provided no supernatural crisis needed her, she would be staying in, doing homework, watching a movie or lazing about. She certainly wouldn't be trying to get mascara out of her eyes in a gas station at 5 am.

_Well, at least it's not boring_, she argued with herself.

Just then, she thought she saw a movement in the mirror. Her head whipped around so fast she almost strained a muscle. But there was no one behind her.

"Hello?"

A dark vision appeared in the mirror.

"What the –"

She pressed her fingers to the cool surface. The shadow lurched forward, trapped underneath the glass. She could almost recognize a face, a pair of gleaming, wrathful eyes. The orbs were coming towards her. Bonnie felt woozy and buzzed, as if someone were tampering with her magic.

_Esther._

She was contacting her through the mirror.

"Stop it!" she yelled and closed her eyes. The mirror cracked and split in half, but the shadow kept hissing menacingly.

"I said _stop_!"

The mirror burst into smithereens. And so did all the other glass surfaces in the bathroom.

Bonnie covered her ears and ducked down. Glass shards flew everywhere. She was pretty sure she could feel them between her teeth. She had a strange sense of déjà vu. The chandelier at the Mikaelson Mansion.

She didn't wait around to see what happened next.

When she burst out of the bathroom, the shop keeper was already shouting abuse at her.

_Oh God, oh God, oh God._

Bonnie grabbed whatever she could on her way to the exit. A bottle of Gatorade, can of water, pretzels, chocolate bar –

"You little bitch! I'm calling the cops on you!"

Bonnie threw the dollars behind her as she flew out the door, hoping that would appease him. Then she remembered she had wrecked his bathroom and realized no, it wouldn't.

_Crap, he'll really call the cops!_

Another wild sentence Bonnie Bennett would not have usually uttered or worried about. But here she was.

She thought Tony would start the engine as soon as he saw her running, but she was shocked to find the hybrid keeling over the side of the road. He was moaning in pain as he held his head in his hands.

_Aneurysm! He's having an aneurysm!_

Esther was giving him aneurysms. But how had she reached them? Bonnie had broken the mirrors. She didn't have time to solve that mystery. She dumped the food and drinks in the backseat, where Klaus was still somewhere between consciousness and sleep and she ran over to Tony.

"Hey, look at me! Hey! Let me in. Let me inside your head."

The poor hybrid could barely open his eyes.

"T-That bitch!"

At least he seemed to know who was responsible.

Bonnie pinned his head between her palms and tried to pierce through the poisonous magic attacking him. It was no piece of cake. Esther was _angry_. But Bonnie was not going to let her win another fight. She raised a protective shield around his mind, which managed to release part of the pressure. She couldn't savor her small victory. The shop keeper started shouting threats at her from across the road. He was carrying a shotgun.

"You! Don't move! I'm calling the cops!"

"Tony, we need to get out of here right now! Can you drive -?"

She really shouldn't have asked. He could barely walk himself to the passenger seat. The pain, though less intense, still ravaged his brain cells.

"I said don't move!" the shop keeper warned, cocking the shotgun.

Tony had the sense to pull her down with him as the bullets flew past their heads.

"B-Bennett! U-Use me as shield! Gaah!" he screamed through the pain in his head. Bonnie understood what he meant, but she was too appalled to even consider it.

"I can't –"

"C-Come on!" he urged, squeezing her arm. "Don't be a w-wuss!"

Bonnie inhaled sharply. She was going to regret this. She got up and pulled him in front of her. The bullets sank into his chest with a hollow sound. Bonnie could feel the impact as his body careened with the force of the ricochet.

"Hold on! I'm getting us inside the car!"

"N-No problem! Bullets – distracting – me from – pain!"

Much later, Bonnie would remark that only Tony could say something like that while getting shot.

* * *

She was an outlaw.

"Easy! She's – sensitive!" Tony implored as she took another sharp turn in the road.

An outlaw and a reckless driver, to boot. She changed gears and tried to avoid Tony's accusing stares.

It was bad enough that her hands were shaking on the wheel.

"Is the head better?"

"It's not worse!" he bellowed. "That psycho bitch will get tired eventually!"

"That's the spirit," she replied, breathless.

Bonnie stepped on the pedal as she overtook two cars at once. The speedometer was telling her she was at least a good 50 mph over the speed limit.

"Jesus, Bennett! Slow down!"

"You were driving just as fast back there!"

"Yeah, well - I didn't have the migraine of the century then, did I? Slow down."

"And let her catch us? Not a chance!"

"She's already onto us, if you haven't noticed!" he cried, pointing at his head.

"That's why I'm trying to lose her!"

"All we actually need is to get there in one piece. Once we cross the magical border, we should be safe!" he argued, holding onto the glove compartment as she blasted through a round-about.

"Where is _there_? What border? Just tell me where we're going, _Anthony_!" she demanded angrily.

"We're going to boss' safe house, all right? Unless you kill us on the way."

"You know what? The guy with the shotgun definitely called the cops on us and I'm pretty sure he saw the license number too, so – excuse me if I'm in a rush!" she argued back.

"_Bonnie_. We just got out of a skirmish with Originals vampires and witches. I don't think the police will be much of a challenge!"

He could talk, but it was her future that was going to be ruined if she got a permanent record. She was supposed to go to college one day and get a good job. And hopefully not end up in prison, while she was at it.

"I got some stuff from the gas station if you look in the back!" she said, more to distract him from her driving.

Tony grabbed the Gatorade.

"You shoplifted?! Look who's a regular badass!"

"Technically, I left him the money –"

"Technically, you're a criminal."

Bonnie groaned. And then someone groaned in reply. She thought, at first, that it was Tony.

The hybrid gulped down on his drink and looked over his shoulder.

"Umm, minor problem."

"Last time you said that, I recall getting attacked by Klaus' crazy brother."

"Yeah, about that…boss is waking up. The transitioning period seems to be over."

"Which means?"

"You know how your friend Tyler got all rage-y and killer-like every full moon? And then you had to chain him up?"

"But it's not a full moon!"

"And it's not every day a hybrid becomes a werewolf again, Bennett!"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we're driving with a ticking bomb in the backseat."

Bonnie stomped her foot on the gas. She tried very hard not to look in the rear mirror. She failed.

She could see Klaus getting up shakily, his body swaying back and forth as more growls escaped his throat. He pushed aside her shopping spree and cracked the bones in his neck with a vicious pop.

Bonnie swallowed.

When he opened his eyes, they were yellow.

"Klaus!"

His eyes met hers in the rear mirror.

"Don't –" she pleaded.

But before she could say anything, she heard a loud, metallic thud. Klaus' body dropped against the backseat again.

"Tony!"

The hybrid was holding a long metal rung in his hands.

"That'll hold him down for a while, but we have to get to that safe house before he tears us apart."

Bonnie exhaled and – laughed. She simply laughed. It was hysterical and unhinged, the kind of laugh that freaks you out and leaves you cold. But she couldn't hold it in anymore.

This was _surreal_.

"Whoa, are you okay?!" Tony asked with concern.

Bonnie grinned, although it could've been a grimace. Her body was singing with electricity, her exhaustion forgotten. She nodded her head. And then, she turned on the radio at full blast.

"Never better!" she yelled back, and rolled down her window.

Hair fluttering in the wind, Bonnie clenched her fingers on the wheel. And drove for her life.


	13. the claw

_A/N: another fast update! I wonder how much longer I can keep this up. Let's hope it lasts. And we've reached over 200 reviews! I can't tell you how thankful and touched I am! I never thought I'd get this number at the beginning of this fic and I'm really grateful to all of you. Thank you to **negrobarc, cice527, 25ShadesOfFebruary, Lady Maurelle, PracticallyCharmed, eva505, Anastasia-G, Gabby** (thank you! I can't guarantee how nice Klaus will be about it, but read to find out!), **mygirlhermione, Guest1** (yes, good ol' Bonnie, that's her eighteen year-old side showing), **PAuline** (thank you, there's more Klonnie this chapter!), **Guest2** (I'm thrilled that you think so!), **sincerelyki, Cecily Mitchell, scylla98, LeilaniStar, Guest3** (the fate of the rest of the Originals will be revealed a bit later, but I'm glad you liked the Klonnie bits!), **Bennettore** (you are definitely right about Bonnie and the power of the Bennett line, but I won't say how and when Klaus will be restored. I hope it will be a great journey, though!), **mrsanitra, TheDreamer17, Ghost** (aww, thank you!)_

_This chapter is a combination of light and dark, if that makes sense? _

_I hope you like!_

_P.S. Just a reminder for everyone that Finn &amp; Esther discovered Klaus and Bonnie had accidentally bonded (read more in chapter 10 - the bond). Keep that in mind for now and later chapters. _

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

The road was twisted and unmarked. She could feel the rattle of the wheels under her seat, the way the engine thrummed in an effort to get them through the wilderness. Bonnie wished Tony would crack one of his stupid jokes to relieve the tension. He was, instead, paying full attention to his maker. Klaus had come about twice now, and twice Tony had knocked him back down, but every time, the Original woke up faster.

"Are we getting any closer?" she asked, trepidation building in her stomach. Her nerves were stretched to a pitch. She would've taken a full-blown attack at this point. The waiting was torture.

Tony nodded his head gravely. "You'll feel it."

"Feel what?"

A couple of moments later, she had her answer. Her whole body was swept up in a current of energy that left her dizzy. She tried to keep her hands steady, so as not to lose control.

"Eeeeasy…" Tony soothed, putting a hand on the wheel. "Guess witches feel it worse, huh?"

It was a damn strong magical barrier. And she recognized its particular function.

"This isn't just a barrier. It's a trap for enemies."

"Yup. Any enemy of Klaus would be toasted."

Bonnie slowed down and turned her head towards him. "And you didn't think to tell me this before? I could've gotten hurt! I'm not exactly Klaus' _friend_."

"But you're _not_ his enemy, either. You fought alongside him tonight. And danced. And flirted."

She threw him a look of complete outrage. "First off, there was _absolutely_ no flirting. Secondly, he forced me to –"

"Sure, Bennett. But the barrier knows when a witch wants to kill Niklaus, a.k.a. Esther, and when a witch wants to help him. That would be you."

Bonnie huffed. That was completely incorrect. She was here only because they had a common enemy. Helping Klaus was as attractive to her as solving quadratic equations. But if she started thinking more about what she was doing here she was going to run them into a tree.

Bonnie wanted to fume in silence for a while, but curiosity got the better of her.

"So who was the witch that cast this barrier?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Oh, just an old friend of his. He's known many witches in his lifetime."

"What was her name?"

Tony glanced at Klaus and hummed under his breath. "He didn't tell me her name. Just that she died."

Bonnie snorted. "By his hand, no doubt."

"You're wrong, Bennett. Boss would never –" Tony stopped short and shook his head, as if he knew he couldn't make her understand. "Think whatever you want, but don't accuse him of _betrayal_."

Bonnie felt chastised by his tone. "Didn't he betray his whole family? Rebekah, as far as I know, loved him and he -"

"Abby loves you, Bonnie. And yet she did what she had to do."

She shook her head, biting her lip. "That's not the same thing."

"Maybe not. Maybe you're right. Boss is ruthless and cruel, but he is fair."

Bonnie didn't have the heart to contradict him. Tony was still trapped in the Original's orbit and didn't want to see the truth of his actions. Bonnie knew it, though. Klaus was a monster. He wasn't the worst kind out there. In fact, he could probably fool you into thinking otherwise. The few moments of peace in his studio had been –

But it would be a mistake to live in that illusion. Abby had probably learned that the hard way.

* * *

The road became thinner, until it was just a ravine surrounded by impregnable forest land. Bonnie wasn't sure she could drive any further.

"Tony, I don't see any safe houses."

"It should be just around the corner…"

Bonnie threw him a side-glance. "Are you _sure_ you gave the right directions?"

"Look, it's not _supposed_ to be easy passage, is it?"

Bonnie was now driving at a snail's pace, trying to avoid the brambles and fallen branches in her path. She could hear Klaus' regular breathing, and it was much louder than normal. She kept her eyes on the road, or what had remained of it. The branches and nettles scratched the windshield and impaired her visibility.

"If we don't stop soon, we're going to have an accident and I won't be held responsible –"

But her complaints were swallowed by a loud hiss. She snapped her head in Klaus' direction. Tony hadn't been fast enough. The Original had grabbed the metal rung and was twisting it out of the poor hybrid's hand.

"Klaus! Tony, stop him!"

A terrifying snarl erupted from the backseat and Bonnie's blood froze in her veins. She floored the gas pedal and drove blindly through the wilderness. The car jumped and skidded left and right. She felt like a sardine, crushed and squashed from all directions by an invisible weight.

She turned her head. And was met with a pair of ferocious yellow eyes, the kind that could hypnotize and kill you in one instance.

She shrieked. Klaus was right next to her, and he was wrestling against Tony's weak efforts to hold him back.

Panic guided her next movements. She jerked the wheel and swerved abruptly. The car almost toppled over, but she managed to break through the thick forest wall in front of her.

It all happened so fast. Like a train wreck you can't look away from, she kept her eyes open and watched the events unfold in slow motion. Later she would be surprised how easily time can expand and contract when your life is on the line. The car veered wildly. It was going to crash into a nearing tree. Bonnie snapped her seat belt open and pressed down on her door. It burst open right before the crash, and she rolled unceremoniously into the dirt. It took her some crucial moments to start breathing again and realize she was in an opening and that the grass here was smooth and free of thorns.

She looked up. An old-fashioned, columned mansion was sprawled in front of her in semi-obscurity. The walls were choked in so much creeping vine that she could barely see the windows. She had a dim sense of her surroundings, and yet, she sensed the house was safe, in some arcane, unknowable way.

She registered this in mere seconds, but it felt like decades until her mind caught up. The ringing inside her head was infernal. She was miraculously unscathed, but she knew that had more to do with magic than her ability to jump out of cars.

When the ringing stopped, she heard the grunts and pants. To her left, two figures were rolling in the grass.

Bonnie gave a start.

Master and servant were struggling to outmatch each other. But one of them seemed to have an advantage.

Klaus towered over Tony's body. The hybrid looked near unconscious. The Original raised his head and howled into the sun, which shone weakly on his face, as if it did not dare reveal him. A deep and tenebrous song rumbled across the forest. The fanged creature hardly looked like _him_ or anyone she had ever known. He was half-wolf, half-man, and any kind of bravado she might have had about her escapade evaporated into thin air. She just wanted to get as far away as possible.

But she couldn't. She couldn't let Tony get hurt. Not like this. She had to do _something_.

Her every instinct told her to bolt. She ignored her gut, and got up shakily, steadying herself against the car.

"Stop!" she cried out hoarsely.

The Original didn't give any indication of having heard her. He bent down and bit Tony's arm.

Bonnie willed her legs to move.

"Don't hurt him! _Motus_!"

Klaus was pushed back by her spell, but he recovered quickly, almost as if he'd absorbed the magic. Bonnie watched him fall on all-fours and turn towards her with a savage growl.

_He's too angry. Too strong_, she thought ominously. _And I'm running low on magic._

The previous night was taking its toll. The Original, however, was like a newborn, fresh and alert, hungry for sport. He advanced towards her with the purpose of an animal. Bonnie knew that if she turned and ran, he would tear her apart. There was nothing to do but face him, head on. She stood her ground and balled her hands into fists. She forced herself to look into those amber eyes.

"I said _enough_!"

The command issued from her throat like a bullet and silenced all the sounds around them. A strange electricity shook her body, and it seemed to have a similar effect on him, because he stopped dead in front of her and _waited_. Whether he was waiting to pounce or to flee, she couldn't tell. She thought she caught a red glint in his eyes. She remembered Dyaba. She remembered how Klaus had found her with his wolf. She swallowed thickly, because he looked more wolf than man right now.

And then, he made a tentative move towards her. Bonnie froze.

Klaus groaned and rose on his hind-legs with obvious efforts. He staggered before her, a deadly predator who was just biding his time.

"Klaus –"

His eyes shifted to hers again and he raised one hand towards her. The claw shone like silver in the moonlight. She held her breath as it almost grazed her cheek, and then landed softly on her neck.

"It's – it's me, you know it's me. Bonnie."

A shadow of recognition flickered across his face. He made to open his mouth and speak, but found he couldn't form words. He snarled instead.

"It's okay – you're just changing."

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, her hand rose to her neck and gently took hold of his claw. She was afraid he'd pierce her, but much to her surprise, he let her hold it in the palm of her hand. It was warm. It almost seemed to have a pulse.

Any moment now, he would retaliate with anger. He would tear her to pieces. And heaven knows why, she almost welcomed it, if only to get rid of the awful tension in her stomach.

The familiar shadow in his eyes seemed to fade. Bonnie dropped his claw.

"_Motus_!"

She put all her strength in one strong spell. He fell against the car like dead weight.

Bonnie let out a harsh breath, limbs shaking uncontrollably. She knew she only had minutes before Klaus woke up. She rushed to Tony's side.

"Please be all right."

He seemed to be healing on his own. A hybrid could do that. Just to be on the safe side, she crouched down and cast a healing spell on his wound. There was a red gash all across his forearm, reaching down to his wrist. But it was closing up quickly. _Thank God._ She needed as much man-power as she could get.

Tony came to with a start. His pale face shone with exhaustion. She probably had the same look on her face.

"Boss – he attacked– I didn't keep him down – Bonnie – are you okay –"

"I'm fine, Tony. I'm fine. I'm just glad you're not badly hurt. Let's get you up. Can you do that?"

"What happened to him?" he asked, clinging to Bonnie. Then his eyes traveled to the car where a giant heap lay pliant and dormant. For now.

"We have to get him inside the house. Quickly," he assessed, trying to make a few feeble steps.

"But how will we contain –"

"The dungeons. It's what they were built for."

Bonnie looked over her shoulder at the safe house. So much for safe.

* * *

They made a poor job of carrying him into the house. One weak hybrid and one spent witch.

Bonnie didn't have time to register her surprise when she stepped inside. She was being weighed down by a sleeping werewolf. But her first impressions were contradictory. She had expected a deserted home, boarded, shuttered and dust-ridden. But inside, it was warm and clean and modern. All the lights switched on when they crossed the main hall. Every surface was gleaming, as if freshly polished. And the walls were wainscoted. Thousands of lights seemed to follow them everywhere. But they had to descend into darkness. Tony led the way to the cellar. The staircase was the hard part. She couldn't fathom carrying him down those slippery steps. His body was contorted painfully, bones and claws jutting out. One wrong move and she might drop him. And wake him.

"Better let me handle this one, Bennett."

"Are you sure?"

Tony grinned with sadness. It was probably not very pleasant to come to grips with the fact that your maker had tried to harm you. Or worse.

Bonnie maneuvered him into Tony's arm and accidentally touched the downy fur, sparsely outlining his back. A strange thought crossed her mind. _He's so rough… and yet soft. That's not right._

The hybrid strained and buckled under the effort of holding Klaus' body up, but made quick work of it, dashing at high speed into the cellar. Bonnie followed after him, mouth pursed and fingers clenched. She feared the Original would wake up and bite Tony again.

She almost missed the last step when the flames rose from the walls. The torches came to life, one by one, inside their sconces. By their light, she saw the labyrinth of cells and vaults stretching before her, like an underground city. The temperature was lower than she'd anticipated and her breath came out in white wisps of steam. The air was damp, but she could smell its fragrance. Old stones, ashes and blood.

She pushed ahead, mind buzzing with images of medieval torture.

"Tony?"

Everything was silent. Until it was not. She heard them gradually, as they became louder. The howls. Coming from the end of the corridor. She ran towards the source of noise, terrified that she had been too late. That Tony was hurt.

"He's safe now," the hybrid exhaled as he turned the heavy lock on the cell door. It was an intricate padlock, fastened by several trap levers.

Bonnie peered through the bars. Klaus was clawing at the chain around his throat. There was another chain fastened around his middle, but it looked too thin to hold him. Tony must have read her mind.

"He won't get out. Not from down here. This is the safe house."

Bonnie was beginning to understand. The house didn't just make Klaus safe. It made others safe from him. She put her fingers around the bar, trying to get a better look. Her Grams had always told her she was too curious for her own good. The Original looked up and caught her staring. He lunged at her with such force that she nearly fell on her back. Tony steadied her from behind.

Klaus gnarled in frustration as the chains dragged him back to the floor. Gone was any shadow of recognition, or any humanizing trait. She turned her head away. Tony's arms came around her, whether to comfort her or himself, she couldn't tell.

"We should get back up. No point sticking around now."

"But we can't –"

"We'll come back in a couple of hours, Bonnie. Boss needs his privacy."

She snorted. It was such a Tony thing to say. Bonnie didn't know when they'd become friends exactly, but maybe it was the moment they'd both carried Klaus Mikaelson on their shoulders.

* * *

The house was fully equipped for guests. In fact, it was stocked up for a good depression or two. Bonnie couldn't help ogling at the amount of foods and beverages stored in the larders and the kitchens. Yes, plural.

"But you guys drink _blood_."

"We're part werewolf. We have other cravings sometimes," Tony explained, pulling some much needed beers out of the fridge.

"Shouldn't we take care of your wound first?"

"Almost healed, anyway. What I need is to sleep. And get drunk. Well, not in that order." He smiled recklessly, and took a long swig from his bottle.

Bonnie rubbed her eyes tiredly. Sleep. Oh, what a divine idea.

"Feel free to pick any of the twelve bedrooms."

"Only twelve? I'm disappointed," she mumbled, leaning her elbows on the kitchen counter.

Could she really sleep knowing Klaus was raging at them underneath the floor boards? Could she stay awake and listen to his howls? Negatives to both. Maybe Tony's idea was better. Alcohol did take the edge off things.

"How did you do it, Bennett?"

"Huh?"

"How did you knock him out like that? I mean, last thing I remember – he was stalking towards you. And he looked ready to tear you a new one."

"Magic," she lied smoothly. "Just magic."

Tony looked miffed, as if he suspected there was something more to it, but he shrugged and grabbed his beer.

"I'll be on the second floor. This time, voluntarily unconscious."

He disappeared into the immense emptiness of the safe house. Left to her own devices, Bonnie started pacing the kitchen. Her brain was feverish. She needed to call her Mom. She needed to talk to her. Where was her phone? Somewhere in the car? She should probably try to retrieve her stuff. She should –

_Oh, hell._

She ran down the corridor until she found a bathroom. Presumably, one out of five. Every surface was smooth porcelain and soft rugs. She knelt down in front of the toilet and threw up the few hors d'oeuvres she had managed to swallow at the Ball, the champagne, the chocolate bar she had eaten in the car and two sips of beer.

Bonnie heaved a sigh and leaned her head against the cool porcelain. She waited a couple of minutes for her stomach to settle. Then, she rose and stood over the sink, washing and rinsing her mouth with copious water. Klaus' safe house wouldn't happen to have some complimentary tooth paste, would it?

She opened the mirror cabinet – and there it was, a full tube. She also took out some much needed aspirin. She swung the door closed and –

"Jesus Christ!"

Bonnie had to hold onto the sink not to fall.

"Startled, love? And here I thought you would be expecting my call. Given that your mind is so full of _me_, at the moment."

Klaus Mikaelson was leaning against the opposite wall, a cheeky smirk playing on his lips. He was still dressed in his fashionable tux. His gait was nothing short of regal, his handsome face poised for mischief. It was as if she had never left the Ball.

But she had. And this wasn't Klaus. It was just his apparition.

"_You_."

"…isn't it always?" he intoned playfully, taking a step closer.

"Every time I think you'll finally disappear," she said resentfully.

"And every time…" he echoed, waving his hands in a show of prestidigitation. His smirk sobered slightly as he took her in. "You don't look particularly well, love. Perhaps I can remedy the situation."

"You can remedy the situation by getting out of my head! In case you haven't noticed, now is _really_ not the time for your – your antics!"

Klaus took another step forward, until her back was pressed up against the sink.

"Oh, but now is the _perfect_ time. You are afraid, Bonnie. Of closing your eyes. Of falling asleep. Yet you do need your rest, don't you?"

She had to remember he was her own construct, something she had no choice but to conjure. Otherwise, she might've been unnerved by his accuracy.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. He glanced towards the toilet. "Clearly."

In spite of what she had been through, Bonnie couldn't help but flush in embarrassment.

"What do you want?"

"To get you in bed."

Her eyes widened for a split-second, before she realized his meaning. His apparition - faithful to the original replica - caught her momentary slip immediately.

His smirk widened. "I am sorry to say you don't have the stamina for _that_ right now."

Bonnie couldn't believe it. What was _wrong_ with him? What was wrong with _her?_ Making a sex joke after – after everything she'd been through? Was she officially going insane?

"Insane is a strong word for attraction," he offered glibly.

"_Shut up_."

* * *

Her grandmother was probably laughing from beyond the grave. _Someone_ was, in any case. Klaus Mikaelson was tucking her into bed. She really had to figure out a different name for him. Vision-Klaus, perhaps. Her mind was so tired, it was coming up with nicknames.

She hadn't even bothered to shower. She dropped into the bed with frightening speed. Vision-Klaus drew the cover over her body.

He then pulled up a chair and settled at her bedside.

Bonnie looked up at the wooden ceiling. The bedroom was warm and safe and smelled of pine and honey. She couldn't believe that she was actually – relaxed.

She glanced at her companion. He looked completely unperturbed.

"Are you going to sit there much longer?"

"Until you fall asleep."

"How am I supposed to sleep with you here?"

"How are you supposed to sleep without me?" he countered. And she knew, hatefully, that he was right. His presence, no matter how obnoxious, how strange, how _unwarranted_, was necessary. Otherwise, she might hear the real Klaus, tearing through the floor boards to reach her, and she would never close an eye again.

She hummed a sigh and let her mind drift away. Vision-Klaus was watching her.


	14. the scent

_A/N: Hello again! I was going to make a pun about Fast Times at Ridgemont High and how I'm supposedly faster than that movie, but then I thought I shouldn't jinx myself because I can't always churn out chapters at great speed. So, best to just celebrate the occasion by thanking you for your lovely reviews! Thank you to **mygirlhermione, LeilaniStar, 25ShadesofFebruary, mrsanita, Practically Charmed, nekittam, Lady Maurelle, Anastasia-G, Guest1** (yes, it was rather cute, and Bonnie feels something very confusing for him which she will sort out in future chapters), **ThoughHellShouldBarTheWay, Bennettore** (haha, I'm glad Vision-Klaus is popular. and I'm happy the wolf moment with Bonnie packed a punch), **negrobarc, Gabby** (yey for the safe-house! I will go into more detail about it and some of its secrets as the story progresses, but I'm glad you like it so far!), **scylla98, cice527, Guest2** (haha, you'll have to wait and see how Klaus and Vision-Klaus square off, cuz I don't want to spoil anything. and more Dyaba is coming!), **Guest3** (thank you so much, I'm flattered!), **Cmechillin, nacy3451, stefonniesalvatore,** **thefudge is grumpy**, **eva505.**_

_This chapter is...eclectic? I don't know how to describe it, but it was a lot of fun to write!_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

It was funny, to remember something so small.

But the first thing his mind latched onto was the little patch of skin. It was soft and slippery against his claw. There was a frantic pulse behind it, too. He waited, with some trepidation, to see the claw tear that smoothness to shreds. But it didn't. Or he must have forgotten. Because the next thing he remembered was weightlessness. A sense that he was being carried through the void. His smell was assaulted with familiar scents, although some were quite foreign. Perfume. A mixture of cloves and vanilla, something sweet and pungent, at the same time. His head was hanging against her shoulder and her fragrance wafted into his nostrils like an invitation. He almost opened his eyes, but he was no longer weightless. He was shackled. His body protested against the cold steel. The only fragrance now was fear.

He raged inside his own skin, because afterwards, he remembered everything.

* * *

Amanda had been her name. The new hybrid had been nothing special. Like most of her brothers and sisters, she had been impatient to try her new powers, heedless of precautions and orders from her betters. But perhaps it was this keen spirit which made her death all the more pointless and tragic. She was supposed to be part of a free race. A new race, no longer enslaved by doppelganger blood. She died in his arms, precious blood pouring out of her nostrils. He remembered how the room had smelled like death, how there had been only fresh corpses around him.

He slammed his body against the cage bars and bit at his shackles in an effort to channel his fury. He had been weak and foolish. And he was going to punish himself until he _learned_ never to be so again. He was sick with a terrible thought. Maybe Mikael had been right. He was a stupid boy. But if he wept now, he would just further cement his words. So he only howled and clawed at the stone floor, digging himself further into a pit of anguish.

It was only hours later that he finally accepted the claws were his. His new children had not been the only ones to pay the price. The old, hellish anatomy had returned. He was wolf. And wolf alone.

* * *

"Found a Grimoire for you, in case you need a pick-me-up. Oh, and good morning."

Tony dumped the dusty tome next to her lukewarm coffee. He then proceeded to steal her mug and down its contents faster than she could blink.

"Yuck. Is this how you usually make coffee or did you also cry in it?"

Bonnie scowled. "Good morning to you too."

The insolent hybrid strolled over to the windows and pulled up the blinds. Sunlight poured into the kitchen. Bonnie covered her eyes with the sleeve of her bathrobe.

"Gaah! Why would you do that?"

"Someone would think you're a vampire or something. Now, let me school you on the art of coffee-making. It's one of my special gifts. Once you drink my brew you won't want another kind again," he bragged, going to the sink and turning on the tap.

"I highly doubt that," she mumbled, flipping over the Grimoire with mild interest. She wasn't exactly in the mood for magic right now.

"Doubt all you want. But the guys in my fraternity _loved_ my stuff after a particularly heavy night."

"How are you so damn cheerful?" she asked, staring at his back in wonder. "We've got a dangerous werewolf in the basement. And Esther is not going to give up her search any time soon."

"Morning is my best time. I can't be down when I have the whole day ahead of me. Besides, we're at the safe house. Klaus is out of harm's way. We're good."

Bonnie raised a skeptical eyebrow. "It feels like you're leaving out some important parts of our predicament."

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "Tell me about it in the afternoon."

Bonnie mulled over her next words while she watched him work. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to stir him up, but the whole thing was fresh in her head and she couldn't let it go.

"You okay with...what happened yesterday?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, Klaus did try to kill you."

Tony turned away from the espresso machine and contemplated her without his usual mirth. For the first time since she'd known him, he looked irritated by her.

"First off, boss didn't try, much less _succeed_ in killing me. He simply couldn't control himself. I won't hold that against him when I _know_ how shitty it is being a werewolf. Second, he didn't hurt you, either. In fact, you escaped without a scratch. Funny how that turned out..."

"What about when he _is_ in control?" she ventured, eager to dismiss his comments. "You don't think he'd ever hurt you?"

"No. I _don't_. Got other illuminating questions for me?"

Bonnie sighed, feeling that the conversation should best be dropped for now.

"Who owns this Grimoire anyway?" she tried instead.

Tony regained his good mood in no time. "Oh, just the witch who drew the barrier. I told you about her."

"Yeah, but you don't know her name."

"Well, maybe there's a clue in there somewhere."

Bonnie wondered if he was right. Maybe she could unlock the identity with the proper spell. Her mind, though, was preoccupied with other thoughts.

"So what do we do now? Do we just wait the storm out? Or do we prepare for an attack? I mean, _I_ can't stay here forever. I have to return to Mystic Falls and -"

Tony walked up to the kitchen counter and sat down next to her. He placed a steaming mug in front of her.

"Try this one first."

She blew on it and took a sip. And then another sip. _Damn_. It was delicious. Strong, too. It had a calming effect on her nerves.

"Didn't I tell you?" he boasted smugly. "The secret is nutmeg."

She smiled crookedly. He was bent on distracting her. "Barista skills aside, you need to tell me your plan, if you _have_ one. This hide-out can't be a long-term thing. I mean – I shouldn't even be here right now. Every minute I waste, means danger for my friends. Worse, they're probably wondering if I betrayed them..."

"Is that really that bad, Bennett? Your friends thinking you're not a complete saint, for once?"

She bit her lip. "It just frustrates me, because everything I've done is to protect them and the town and I never meant for things to...escalate this way."

Tony nudged her elbow. "I don't think anyone did. Well, except crazy-pants Esther. Listen, life is messy. Sometimes the good and the bad are really hard to tell apart. You're doing what you can. We all are."

She hated how much sense he made, at the moment.

"For now, we wait. The old hybrids – those who still have doppelganger blood in their system – are probably on the run like us. If I call them now, they'll come here and Esther will figure out where we are. Plus, we wouldn't be doing them any favors. So, we need to lay low for a while."

Bonnie fidgeted with her cup. "I agree with being cautious, but this _has_ to be temporary, because I can't just sit here and do nothing -"

"You think boss will want to stay cooped up in here instead of taking revenge? He'll bide his time, but not for long."

She almost smiled at that. Oh, Klaus would definitely _not_ like staying put while Esther was still on the loose. He was going to be...quite difficult to handle, she realized. These may be her last moments of peace.

She shook her head and turned to more personal affairs.

"I need to call my mom. I didn't get a chance to do it yesterday. I'm guessing my phone is a not a good idea?"

"Oh yeah, don't bother. I destroyed it earlier this morning."

"You did _what_?!"

Tony smiled innocently. "You can have one of the emergency burner phones. They can't be tracked and don't leave a trace. You'll find them in the parlor, above the liquor cabinet."

"You could've told me -"

"Why bother you with technicalities?"

"Next time I give you an aneurysm, I won't bother to stop either -"

"Raincheck on that. Gotta go see if boss woke up," he said, before she could make good on her promise.

* * *

_The number you dialed is currently busy..._

Bonnie dropped the phone with a groan of frustration. This wasn't helping her anxiety. Abby wasn't answering. Either she was occupied enough to miss five calls or –

_No. No._

The other option was too grim to consider. She could have gotten injured, true. But something more serious? Out of the question. Her mother was strong. Stronger than she had ever given her credit for. She had made Esther falter. She wouldn't fall so easily.

What would she say to her if she answered? Thank you? I love you? I need you by my side?

She wasn't sure Tony would be okay with that. Frankly, she wasn't sure _Abby_ would be okay either. Her mother would certainly flip when she found out where she was. But maybe Tony was right and all you could do in life was try your best.

_Thanks, Mom. You tried for me_, she thought, and almost got teary-eyed with sentiment. It was weird, getting so emotional. Bonnie had buried and locked so many of these feelings for so many years that it was hard now to keep them at bay.

She took a deep breath and dialed again. _Come on, come on..._

It went to voice-mail. Determined not to despair, she flipped the phone shut and grabbed the Grimoire she had deposited on the parlor table.

Better keep her mind occupied and try to find out about its possessor. She should also get out of this bathrobe and find some clothes too.

Bonnie walked out into the hallway, flipping the pages distractedly, still thinking about her mother. She started climbing up the stairs. The house was much more welcoming than the Mikaelson Mansion. There was something eerie, but steadfast about it. Even the polished banister felt warm to the touch. There _was_ the matter of the underground dungeon, but that was a necessary evil rather than a real feature.

She turned another page and a strange drawing caught her eye. It was a banishment ritual. She didn't know why it looked vaguely familiar. It didn't have the Bennett signature, but...there was something funny about it. It looked like a mixture of bloodlines. And on top of it, there was the drawing of an Ascendant. She recognized the mystical relic, although she had never seen one in real life.

She was so caught up in trying to decipher the ritual, that she almost didn't hear the sounds coming down the hall. She lowered the Grimoire. Someone had turned off the shower.

"Tony, is that you?"

She made a couple of tentative steps and then – dropped the Grimoire altogether.

* * *

Cold water was running down his tawny skin. It did little to cool him off. His blood was on fire and he was hatefully warm. Singeing, almost. He leaned his head against the tiles. His forehead throbbed. He inhaled sharply and then -

He whiffed a familiar scent.

It was the perfume, the one from his dreams. Sweet and pungent. It trailed off beyond the bathroom door and called for him to find the source of its nectar. His mouth watered. He did not crave blood anymore, but he still wanted to sink his teeth in soft skin. The need was like a missing limb that still ached.

He turned the water off, and stepped out of the shower. It was strange, how powerful and yet powerless his body had become. He was more attuned to his surroundings, but less in control of his instincts. Every movement was a magnetic shift, but it was also an effort to stay still. He wanted to run into the woods and lose himself in the chase, but he also wanted to feel the ground beneath his feet and preserve his energy. So many contradictory desires, overcast by the bitterness of transformation.

The worst past was that he felt vulnerable, like he used to when he was only a child.

He launched his fist into the tiles and broke one in half. His hand was red, his knuckles bruised. But he wasn't bleeding.

_Good._

He opened the door and followed the scent outside.

* * *

Bonnie's mouth hung open stupidly.

Klaus Mikaelson was stark naked. As naked as the day he was born. And he was dripping wet. Beads of water trailed down his joints and muscles and made his skin glisten– she blushed and looked away, horrified and appalled.

He stalked towards her without any qualms about his state of undress. In fact, he seemed to relish being uncovered. When he came closer, she realized why. The warmth was practically radiating off him.

She took a step back, but she seemed unable to move any further. And wherever she looked, she saw his naked form.

His eyes were calm and curious, his mouth neither smiling nor frowning. He was watching her with intense concentration, as if ready to seize any of her movements.

She forced herself to look at his face alone.

"You seem to have dropped something," he spoke softly, yet his words were heavy and charged.

And then, he bent down and picked up the Grimoire. He paused, kneeling before her, and looked up. Bonnie's breath got stuck in her throat. She felt a strange imbalance of power. She was standing above him and yet she was still small, like a hero in front of a slain giant. But there was a vulnerability about his features that had little to do with her or even his past self. She accepted his penetrating gaze, because maybe – maybe he needed to get reacquainted with her and the world around him.

She didn't know why she was offering him this. Bonnie didn't like feeling empathy for him. Not one bit. She broke the staring match. Klaus rose once more, and all her contradictory feelings were swept aside by the sheer magnitude of him. He could be dead in a coffin, and she wagered he would still invade her senses.

He handed her the Grimoire.

"Thank you."

"No. Thank _you_, Bonnie."

She licked her dry lips and looked away. "It was mostly Tony who did all the -"

He bent forward until his mouth was right next to her ear. She tried very hard not to shiver.

"He doesn't have your scent."

She hugged the tome to her chest as he moved away from her personal space.

Bonnie stood still as he walked further down the hall. She counted his receding steps. She didn't want to be tempted – by curiosity – to look after him.

When she was sure he had gone, she ran straight to her room.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when she finally got the courage to walk downstairs. She would just _die_ if Tony found out what had happened. In fact, she would die if anyone found out. She still looked a little bit flushed from the incident, but hiding in her room was not going to make it any less embarrassing.

She found him and Tony in the living room, downstairs. Mercifully, the hybrid seemed to know nothing about their episode.

If she had expected Klaus to be awkward about it, or to signal that he had been startled by their...impromptu meeting, she was wrong. When she entered the room, he looked up briefly from his conversation with Tony and nodded his head equally in her direction. But – maybe she was imagining this – there was a new tension in the air. She couldn't explain it, but it was there.

She drew up a chair by the fireplace, alarmed at the normalcy of their setting. Here they were, three unlikely companions, having tea together. Well, gin and brandy, but what's the difference, really?

"Mika and Timothy will probably go back to their Lakota tribes. Esther would not _dare_ to cross those territories," Klaus was saying with rancor, swirling the drink in his glass. "They are safe there as long as they wait and remain hidden."

"It's a drag we can't really communicate with them," Tony agreed. "But we have to trust that they're smart enough to stay out of trouble."

Bonnie figured they were talking about the old hybrids.

"I could do a tracking spell. For the rest," she offered anxiously. She didn't know if this was the right thing to do, but whatever foiled Esther was probably good enough. And she wanted to feel useful.

Klaus tilted his head and looked at her over his glass, as if to gauge the merit of her request.

"My dear _mother_ will sense any magic reaching out of this place," he said, at length.

Bonnie pursed her lips in thought. "I could ask Abby for help."

The Original frowned. "You will do no such thing."

"But I can reach her on one of the burner phones, and tell her to protect the remaining hybrids -"

"Do you think Esther doesn't already have an eye on your mother? Once she sees Abby going about, tracking down hybrids, she will have it that much easier to kill the rest."

Bonnie bristled at his tone. "At least I'm coming up with ideas and _trying_ to help."

"I have spent all these hours thinking of _nothing_ else, little witch. Believe me, I have thought of everything."

"Clearly, you _haven't_, because I see a lot more options before us than just sitting tight."

"I _don't_ intend to 'sit tight'. I intend to strike when the time is right. But I need to build my strength for that to happen."

"Or, you don't want to consider any another way, because you're still blinded by anger."

He turned towards her so quickly, she almost forgot he was only werewolf now. "You had better not speak of my anger."

Bonnie was going to be brave, damn it all. She had gone through a lot of trouble to bring him here and she had every right to argue her case.

"Why not? Seems to me that the reason this whole thing happened is because you wouldn't let people have a say." The allusion was too obvious. Tony coughed and looked at the floor.

Klaus was frozen in place.

"You will _not_ blame me for what happened to my children!"

"And that's your first mistake! They weren't your children! Or your hybrids, or your anything."

She didn't know when she'd gotten out of her chair, but she was facing off Klaus once again.

"Well, then, perhaps the residents of Mystic Falls - your blundering friends included - are not _your_ babes to be swaddled and coddled. But you have no problem taking on that role anyway," he replied with acerbity.

Bonnie gasped. The nerve of him, the absolute _nerve._ They were glaring at each other, each one convinced the other was wrong.

It was inconvenient, but their confrontation echoed the memory of his nakedness all too well, and she faltered. She remembered the look he had given her when he had bent down to pick up the Grimoire. He had been hurt, and he had let her see it.

"I didn't mean it. I know it wasn't your fault they died," she admitted finally. "But, like Grams always said, you have to take responsibility for the good _and_ the bad."

Klaus' gaze did not waver. "I take responsibility for what is _mine_."

His eyes wandered for a brief moment to her neck, and she was almost scared to delve into his gesture, lest she open another can of worms. They were both powder kegs, ready to explode.

"Oookay. Someone needs a drink," Tony interjected, stepping slowly between them. "How about it, Bon Bon?"

Klaus returned to his chair and poured himself another one. Bonnie accepted a glass from Tony grudgingly.

"Alcohol will make you friends in no time. Or you'll kill each other. Whichever comes first," he joked without much success. His audience was quiet and resentful.

"So. Considering that right now, we only got each other, we should try to get along and play nice, don't you think?" Tony reproached in hen-like fashion. "I mean, far be it from me to curtail these fun little banter sessions -"

Bonnie and Klaus both glowered at Tony.

"Fine. Your _arguments_ aren't helping our situation, all right? So I politely suggest you cool it. Both of you."

"Tell _him_ that," Bonnie shrugged.

"Oh, as if you weren't the most stubborn -" Klaus interjected.

"Ah-ah-ah," Tony chimed in. "See, this is what I'm talking about. So, once again. Can we all _try_ to get along? It doesn't even have to be sincere. But I'm sure you can pull it off."

Neither Bonnie nor Klaus had any comment to that, but they didn't look particularly happy either.

"I'll take that as a strong affirmative."

They sipped their drinks unconvincingly as the minutes passed in silence.

"All right then. I'm making pasta," Tony announced at length. "Who wants to join me?"

As neither of them moved, he waltzed out of the living room, leaving them to their own devices.

The mood visibly shifted. Bonnie inspected her nails with great concentration. Klaus studied at a watercolor which was perched above the fireplace.

_He probably drew it_, she thought, looking over her shoulder. It was the rendition of a lake in summer time, half in shade, half in sunshine. It was quite pretty. But she'd be damned if she paid him a compliment now.

Suddenly, they were both startled by a blast of music coming from the kitchen.

_In touch with the ground_

_I'm on the hunt, I'm after you, _

Bonnie's mouth opened with an audible pop. She couldn't believe this. Tony wouldn't – he wouldn't have the nerve to play that song right now.

_Smell like I sound, I'm lost in the crowd and_

_I'm hungry like the woooolf..._

"Oh my God," she exhaled without thinking.

Her eyes met Klaus'. She expected to see fury and rage and – humor. _Oh_.

He put down his glass lazily and got up. "Anthony, if you cherish what is between your legs, you will change the song immediately."

"Sorry, music's too loud! Can't hear you!"

Klaus rolled his eyes. Bonnie would have missed it if she looked away, but she almost caught him smirking.

And then, she smiled a small smile too, hidden from view.

When they looked at each other again, they betrayed nothing.

"After you," he muttered, as he waited for her to walk past him. She tried to play it cool, but the atmosphere was too charged. _Duran Duran _had barely managed to cut a dent in the tension. But she was glad that there was finally some light at the end of this dreary tunnel, even though it might only be an illusion.

_High blood drumming on your skin, it's so tight_

_You feel my heat, I'm just a moment behind..._

Klaus was only a few steps behind her. And yes, she could feel his goddamn heat.

_Damn it, Tony._

* * *

_A/N: Some quick notes before I leave you: the song, of course, is Duran Duran's **Hungry Like the Wolf**. Most of you know it already, but those who don't, please do yourselves a favor and check out this 80s gem. It is definitely worth your while and I think it works pretty well with Klaus, haha. Anyway, you might be wondering why there's no mention yet of Klaus' siblings, but I just felt I couldn't cram everything in one chapter, so during the next installments we'll slowly uncover what happened to them, what side they are on etc. Anyway, looking forward to read your thoughts!_


	15. the blood

_A/N: And I'm back with a fast update! Still going strong, apparently :) Your support and reviews also help fuel me. So thank you to **MaloryArcher** (Aww, I'm glad the 80s music was a pleasant addition :) Happy to help!), **DancesWithButterflies, PracticallyCharmed, bluemagicrose, Guest1** (well, they have no other choice but to confront their growing attraction/feelings while they're stuck together so it will happen in the future!), **Guest2** (and here's more!), **Anastasia-G, negrobarc, scylla98, cice527, Lady Maurelle**, **NoTImetisMessor, mrsanita, thefudge is grumpy, eva505, Lybhie** (thank you, so glad you like it!), **Charly43** (Thanks so much, I'm glad you like Tony, and well, I can't say much but there's someone for him in the future too), **Guest3** (thanks a lot, I suppose I can see the Ian resemblance :) more klonnie in this chapter!), **WearRedTonight, LeilaniStar, PAuline** (haha, yes, they are trying to deny the tension, especially Bonnie, but it won't last for long), **mygirlhermione, Guest4** (a lot of you guys want them to kiss, and it will happen, but they need to bond more until the tension is too much to bear *wink*)._

_This chapter diverges from canon again, regarding the Original family, although some aspects of it are taken from The Originals. _

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Rebekah was crying in her brother's arms. Her tears were tears of happiness and relief. She had not thought it possible, after so much time, to return to being human. She still thought she was dreaming, and she would wake up to find herself a monster once more, but Finn assured her it was a reality. And they had their Mother to thank for that.

"I'm ridiculous! Sobbing over happy news, but Finn, I can't believe it's true! After so much time! I didn't think it could be possible."

It was a dream come true. She no longer craved blood, no longer felt old and tired with immortality. A fresh, new beginning was waiting for her. She only had to grasp it. The thought left her dizzy with exhilaration.

Finn smiled with affection, a rare occurrence for him. "I'm glad to see my real sister again. The one who had plans for the future and wanted to build a family."

Elijah and Kol were still in transition. Esther had not managed to link all the siblings together the night of the Ball due to Niklaus' refusal to ingest the magicked wine, but it was only a matter of time until his brothers became fully human. They were fighting it, though, especially Elijah.

"You could have informed me of this highly dangerous plan before you set the pieces into motion!" the elder Original thundered in the adjacent room.

"And what assurance did I have that you would agree to it?"

"Well, I don't agree with it _now_, seeing as you have imperiled lives and practiced magic behind ours backs!"

"Do you hear yourself? You are fighting me instead of thanking me! We can finally be a proper family again and you are spoiling it."

Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked worse for wear, despite the fact that a natural human flush was creeping into his cheeks.

"This is exactly what you used to do in the past, concoct all sorts of plans in secrecy. And here I thought you had truly changed."

"I have, Elijah! I have undone the curse I placed upon you, all those years ago. I would never rest until I did."

"Yet you accomplished it with violence and deceit!"

"You know why I hid this from _you_. Your weakness for Niklaus would have foiled everything."

"My weakness – he is my brother!"

"_Half_-brother," Esther corrected. "And as far as you are concerned, when has he ever shown this much regard for you?"

"Family is not a competitive sport."

"Nor should it be a caprice to discard. For that is what Niklaus has done with all of you, and I am quite fed up with it. So, you can embrace what you are now, Elijah, or you can sulk and pretend you actually _liked_ being a monster."

Elijah rarely looked hurt, but his expression, though guarded, betrayed the sting of her words.

"You thought we were monsters?"

Esther realized her mistake. She quickly went to her son's side and raised her hand towards his cheek.

"No. I thought you were _inside_ those monsters, trapped by your murderous instincts, waiting to be released, to be free. Now you have the chance to be _yourselves_."

"And just who is that, Mother?"

"A witch, no doubt," a jocular voice replied. Kol Mikaelson entered the room with a bottle of brandy in his hand. "Don't mind me. I am simply overjoyed to have been given a new _lease_ on life."

Elijah watched his brother with concern. He could not ascertain whether Kol was at peace or at war with his new condition, but you could never be sure with him.

"Kol is right. Most of you are witches by birth. Without the doppelganger blood, you are free now to hone in those powers. Some of you are more inclined to magic. Finn and Kol, for example. But I have seen signs in Rebekah, and I have hope you will embrace them too. Soon enough."

Elijah narrowed his eyes. This was not exactly news to him. Many moons ago, when they had been human, Mikael had been rather displeased that his eldest, Finn, was showing signs of magic at an early age. He believed witchcraft was a woman's business.

And now, it was as if centuries had melted into oblivion. Not a day seemed to have past since their last hunt, before they became immortal. And yet, their souls could hardly return to that day. They had seen and done too much. He had come to accept what he was. It was difficult now, to reverse his mentality and pretend humanity was enough. It shamed him, this realization, but he didn't look forward to adjusting to this new life, even one that might be tempered by the gift of magic...or might not, in his case.

There was still the matter of Niklaus.

"Why do you wish to pursue him? He is merely werewolf now, which I am sure is enough punishment to last him a lifetime."

Esther's lips thinned in annoyance. "You don't understand, Elijah. He will not accept this new order. He will try to harm me...and you."

"Oh, let him come. I would be quite fond to see his wolfie-form again," Kol interjected, already picturing the manner of their encounter. He had never been fond of his older half-brother.

"Yet what could he possibly do? He is weakened and in no state to fight you," Elijah protested.

"His old hybrids still roam about," Esther supplied. "And...he's got that Bennett witch with him. The Bennett line is powerful. He would wreak havoc with such weapons at hand."

"Bonnie Bennett is loyal to her friends and this town. She would never help Niklaus. She must be trying to escape him, as we speak."

Esther smiled. "I would not be so sure of that... I tracked her with my magic and saw her protect him, put her life in danger for him. Unfortunately, wherever she and my bastard son have hidden, I cannot reach."

Elijah narrowed his eyes. He couldn't easily believe that Bonnie Bennett, the same petite witch who had nearly killed his brother twice in a row, was now putting herself at risk for him. He still remembered how angry she had been when he had gone back on their deal. She had been determined to end the Original Hybrid.

Esther saw his doubts clearly reflected in his eyes. "I know your mind rejects the truth, but...she is now an enemy. She has bonded herself to Niklaus."

Elijah inhaled sharply. "No. She wouldn't – she couldn't have."

Esther sighed with feigned disappointment. "And yet she has. I thought she was better than that, we all did. But we were fooled. She drank his blood, willingly. Her friends will confirm that. And Gaia only knows what other insidious pacts they have entered into. I am not saying Bonnie knew what she was doing, but neither did her mother, when Mikael seduced her."

Elijah was caught unawares. "Father? What are you talking about?"

Even Kol perked up his ears and turned towards Esther with barely concealed curiosity.

"Oh, you don't know? It is, after all, history repeating itself."

* * *

Abby leaned her back against the sealed door in defeat. She had wasted enough magic trying to escape. All she could do was bide her time and hope that someone would come down here and either try to release her, or give her an opening to attack.

The good news was that Bonnie had managed to get away. Tony had promised her he would take her somewhere safe. The bad news was that Klaus had escaped with them. Yet, it had been Klaus who had sent her that note before the Ball.

_You may be needed tonight. _

It might have been a calculated move on his part, but he had been right. Esther had unleashed hell. And had Abby not come in time – she didn't want to think what they would have done to her baby girl. Bonnie was strong, no doubt, but she was not that good at protecting herself. And now, she had probably entrusted her daughter to her worst enemy.

_Second worst. Esther still gets the seat of honor._

Her first priority, though, wasn't defeating the Original Witch. It was finding Bonnie.

No more time wasted. Not this time around. She wanted to make up for all the years they had been apart.

But who, in the Mikaelson Mansion, would come down to the basement to find her?

She had to keep up her morale, though. Esther surely had a lot on her plate, enough to get distracted. The only thing Abby had surmised was that the witch had cast a dangerous spell which had destabilized the Original family. She wished she knew more. Because if Klaus was in some kind of trouble, wherever she was, so was Bonnie.

She almost chuckled to herself. Would history just keep repeating itself?

* * *

_"They will, no doubt, say I have corrupted you by force." His smile was mischievous but, as always, laced with a fondness that was hard to resist._

_"I wish they were right." Abby felt her eyes swell up with tears. _

_"No, no. No more tears tonight." He kissed them away._

* * *

Caroline kept shaking her head in denial. She wanted to punch Damon in the face for even suggesting such a thing.

"Don't blame me, Blondie," he drawled. "You were the one who talked to them at the Ball and you said Bonnie seemed _fine_."

"You know how she always tries to minimize a dangerous situation. She's selfless that way," Caroline argued.

"Well, we know she wasn't compelled," Stefan chimed in from the corner of the room.

"And she had no other good reason to pretend to be Klaus' date for the night," Damon added glibly.

"You don't know that!" the blond vampire protested with indignation.

Matt rubbed his neck uncomfortably. "But she seemed to be in control, Care. She wasn't scared. She didn't look like she was being forced. She was taking charge. That's our Bonnie, all right. Except, I don't know what to make of it."

Elena was the only one sitting quietly, rummaging through her memories of the night. She had been held captive by Esther, almost rendered unconscious a couple of times. She remembered Bonnie's mother showing up at one point and Elijah trying to get her back on her feet. In the end, it was Stefan and Damon who had gotten her out of there. But through it all, she had the feeling that she had missed something. A vital piece of information. If she replayed the events slowly enough, she could recall the way Bonnie was picked up from the floor by that familiar-looking hybrid.

She had seen him before.

_A guy called...Tony. Huh, why am I sure that's his name?_

Her best friend had taken hold of the hybrid's hand and she had fled with him, willingly. As if she already knew him.

_But why do** I** know him? Something about a cave..._

Elena sat up suddenly. "Guys. Who woke up Esther from her coffin?"

The gang turned to her with perplexed glances.

"What do you mean?"

"That was the last coffin that was sealed, right? I mean all the rest could be opened."

"Are you suggesting – Bonnie did it?" Stefan asked, suddenly considering the possibility.

"I don't think she did it on purpose. Klaus made her do it, I just don't know how."

"_Really_?" Damon quipped. " You don't know how? Is it that hard to imagine a master manipulator getting inside the little witch's head?"

"Bonnie's not some kind of moron to fall for that -" Caroline argued.

"Then why was she wearing dress and jewelry she clearly couldn't afford? Why is her mother back in town all of a sudden? And why did she show up at the Ball just in the nick of time?" Damon probed further. "Seems to me like Klaus offered something... and she took it."

Elena felt a sudden sickness in her stomach. And she wasn't the only one having doubts. Every single person in the room, even Caroline, was beginning to question Bonnie's behavior in the past couple of days.

Stefan cleared his throat.

"Here's what I think. Two weeks ago, when Klaus took you, Elena, and erased your memories of that night, we all thought he was going to use you to open up the last coffin. When he gave you back, claiming he had no use for you anymore, we knew Esther had woken up – we suspected she was going to make Klaus more powerful. But instead...things turned out backwards. Klaus and Bonnie have fled, Esther and the Originals haven't come out of their Mansion and...everything is too quiet."

"What are you saying, Stefan?" Caroline demanded.

"I'm saying, either Bonnie is doing all of this to save us, or...she has turned on us."

* * *

Bonnie could safely say this was the best home-cooked meal she'd had since Grams. She felt warm and full and, for the first time, confident that things could work out in the future. It's a wonder what food can do to low spirits.

"I'll run down to the cellar to grab a bottle of wine. Vintage stuff," Tony said wriggling his eyebrows.

Bonnie was pulled out of her happy spell. The cellar bore the unpleasant reminder of what was underneath them, and she didn't envy Tony his errand.

More importantly, she was going to be left alone with Klaus again. She didn't know how well that would bode. She didn't want to jump into another strong argument. Although, he was probably in a better mood after having eaten enough for three people. Neither she nor Tony had made any comments about his new appetite, but Klaus had.

"It appears I cannot stop eating," he had remarked, halfway through dinner. "Miserable hunger. Yet so satisfying."

Tony had chuckled. "I used to be the terror of the cafeteria back in college."

"Before or after you accidentally killed that cheerleader?" Klaus had asked with friendly malice.

Tony had scoffed. "If you're inferring I ate my way through four burritos even before I triggered my curse - well, you'd be right."

It had seemed pleasant enough chatter. Bonnie had chuckled a few times, despite the morbid topics of discussion. Now, though... it didn't seem safe to talk about food, or death, or anything else. Silence was probably the best strategy. Or they'd start lashing at each other.

Tony disappeared into the bowels of the house. Bonnie played with her fork on the empty plate. She could sense Klaus' gaze, insistent and prodding.

"You really have no reason to be afraid of me, Witch. My bite cannot kill you anymore. And I have no intention of harming you."

Bonnie looked up sharply. "Who said I'm afraid of you?"

"Did I ever tell you that hybrids, and werewolves alike, have a keen sense when someone is lying?"

"Then your senses must be badly wired," she replied, wishing she had gone with Tony, after all.

"You mean to say you _weren't_ scared last night, when you heard me howling through the floorboards?"

"I've heard worse_,_" she rebuffed quickly.

"I confess I don't understand you, Bonnie. You defy me at every turn, always looking for a confrontation, and yet you are timid. Almost as if you didn't want to push me too far. Why?"

She was about to protest the adjective, but he raised a finger and silenced her. "Come now. Be honest, for once."

She chewed on her bottom lip. What could she say to that? She wasn't afraid of him, and yet... She took a deep breath and tried to put her thoughts into order.

"My welfare right now...depends on you, whether I like it or not. I guess, I'm afraid _for_ you, more than anything."

If she had raised her eyes from her plate, she would have caught the Original looking perplexed.

"I'm looking out for myself...and that means looking out for you too," she continued, reluctantly. "Tony was right, in a way. We have to stick together."

Bonnie was mildly shocked at her own words. She hadn't been aware that this was what she felt, but it made sense. She had always been the kind of person to get behind a group effort.

She hadn't realized Klaus was staring again.

_Uh oh. _

It was another one of his bare looks, the kind that left you more confused than his anger or sarcasm.

"Afraid _for_ me. A novel...experience," he said, almost amused.

"You're the last person on Earth to deserve it," she added, arching an eyebrow. "But I can't help it. I mean, you went from the most powerful creature in the world to -" she stopped, not knowing how to go on.

"To just another supernatural with a target on his back," Klaus finished for her soberly.

"Well, _yes_. It's a bit worrying. Especially since I'm stuck with you."

Klaus chuckled, but it was humorless. "Believe me, love. I'd much rather be alone with this new...anatomy than have you or Tony here to witness it."

Bonnie was nonplussed. "But you need -"

"_Help_?" he drawled derisively. "Yes, exactly. Which makes it all the more loathsome. You see, you're not the only one displeased with dependence."

Bonnie put her chin in her hand. "It must feel awful."

"I will _not_ allow pity, Witch. It is the one thing I will not stand for," he warned her darkly.

"The one thing?" she echoed, put out. "How about the several thousand? And anyway, I _don't_ pity you. I simply know what it's _like_."

Klaus cocked his head, intrigued.

"The spirits...sometimes punish me for going against the natural order. And they can block my magic, if I don't behave. Essentially leaving me powerless. It's happened before. It's...terrible."

"Ah. I've never thought highly of the spirits. And they've never thought highly of me. If Esther could live among them for so long, they must be quite low company," he commented dryly.

Bonnie chuckled, despite herself.

_ Am I actually having a nice time alone with him? Perish the thought._

She almost hated that she had to break the fragile peace between them.

"I know this may not be the right time to talk about it, but...last time, we were interrupted by your mother and I don't think this can wait any longer."

Klaus instantly guessed what she was talking about. She was grateful.

"Of course...before this nightmare started, we were talking about your visions of me."

"Yes. It happened again. Yesterday. I saw your apparition. He was...very much present."

The Original inhaled sharply.

"You said you'd fix it," Bonnie reminded him patiently.

"I did, and I will. I don't go back on my promises. But it's an anomaly that has little precedent in my experience. I've known many witches in my lifetime, yet none had visions of me. And in my current predicament-"

He stopped so abruptly that Bonnie feared he had sensed something wrong. Had something happened? Had someone got inside the house? Had Esther found them? She looked around in a panic.

"The blood hasn't flushed out of your system," Klaus murmured to himself.

"What?"

"The apparition disappears when the blood leaves your system."

"Yes, we talked about this," she said impatiently. "It obviously hasn't. That's the problem. So?"

Klaus raised his eyes towards her. She was shaken by what she saw in those dark orbs.

"_Bonnie_. You still have my blood inside of you. My old, _hybrid_ blood."

She opened her mouth to say something, but she found her words lacking.

"I –"

"...you are the only vestige left of my old self," he finished with a tremor in his voice.

They heard Tony's cheerful humming down the corridor.

"And I'm hungry like the woooolf...Hey, did you two see a ghost or something?"

Klaus released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"That's one way of putting it."


	16. the apology

_A/N: Guess what? New update! I bet you would've never guessed. I'm glad the muse is still running high and I'm very excited we got this far in the story! Thanks to **LeilaniStar, But1tsBetterIfYouDo, Charly43** (thank you, I'm glad you like the pace of the romance and the way I'm handling Klaus and Bonnie. also, you're not off the mark about the hybrid blood - it's going to be a lot more complex than either of them thinks!), **Lady Maurelle**, **mrsanita, scylla98, cice527, negrobarc, DancesWithButterflies, MaloryArcher,** **Cecily Mitchell**, **WearRedTonight, 25ShadesOfFebruary, Anastasia-G, eva505, Gabby** (well, it's not only the original hybrid blood that's drawing him towards her - they're also bonded, if you recall, and they don't know it yet (it was explained in chapter 10) but they'll find out eventually! also, I'm with you on Bonnie's "friends". They're not absolutely terrible, but she deserves much better. Tony is a good substitute, haha), **TheOneTrueBear, randomlittleme, bluemagicrose, toooldforfanfic.**_

_This chapter is kind of crazy, but also kind of sweet._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie downed her glass of wine until there was nothing left in it. She grabbed the bottle for a second drink. If her hands were shaking, she didn't care.

Tony observed her with concern. "So, you really like Bordeaux, huh?"

Bonnie set down the glass unsteadily. Some wine spilled on the table. Klaus eyed her carefully.

"Perhaps we should speak alone, love."

"I'm perfectly happy here," she replied stiffly.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" Tony demanded.

"What's going on is that Klaus probably wants to feed on me," Bonnie retorted, pushing her chair back.

The Original furrowed his eyebrows in offense. "That is hardly what I _said_. And, if you haven't noticed, I cannot feed on blood anymore."

"That's never stopped you before," she replied coolly.

"Wow, okay, I must've missed a couple of lines –" Tony started, shifting his gaze warily between them.

"Are you that daft to believe I would endanger the only hope I have of returning to my old self?" the werewolf questioned harshly.

"That's the thing, Klaus – you would endanger _me_ to get back to _your_ old self."

He put down his fist on the table, making the dishes clatter. "I would never do that!"

"And why should I believe you?!"

"What happened to 'sticking together'? Was that just some trite little ruse?" he barked.

"_I'm_ not the problem here, Klaus!"

"Yes, you've jumped to the conclusion that _I_ must be the problem. Is that how low you think of me? You think I would drain you like some cheap blood bag?"

She averted her gaze and tried not to think about Jenna, and the way he'd fed on her till the last drop. Or Elena, who had only survived thanks to her father. If she let herself think about it more, she would start screaming at him again. There were so many contradictory thoughts battling in her head and she couldn't even settle on one.

But finally, she did.

"I'm glad you won't _ever_ have the chance to enjoy that cheap blood bag again."

Klaus flinched, although it was only Tony who noticed the small movement in his shoulders.

"I want this blood out of my system," she continued, undeterred.

"And I will get it out," he retorted coldly. "_Without_ resorting to murder and torture."

"That would be a first," she snapped, almost before she knew the words were out.

Klaus' nostrils flared. "It seems we cannot broker a peace, after all."

He whirled past her before she had time to reply. Tony sensed he wanted to be alone and did not go after him, but he turned his accusatory eyes on Bonnie. She stood there, breathing hard, fists clenched to her sides. Her anger was diffuse, a kind of storm that scattered everything in its wake but had no real victim in sight. Right now, she was stupidly angry that he had walked away. She wasn't nearly done.

"Care to explain what happened here, Bennett?" Tony asked sharply.

"Don't look at me like it's my fault!" she protested.

"Then show me it's not," he offered sensibly.

Bonnie sighed. It was better to have the hybrid as an ally, and Tony had been honest to her so far.

"You know the night Klaus had Tyler bite Caroline? I tried to protect her. I got bitten instead." He nodded his head as if to say he knew as much.

She inhaled. "Klaus fed me his blood to heal me… But that was weeks ago. And his blood is still inside of me. His _old_ blood."

Tony poured himself a glass of wine. He was trying to put the pieces together in his head.

"Hang on…how do you know it's still inside you?"

She wasn't exactly eager to share this part of the story.

"You've been having _visions_?" Tony echoed in complete shock. "Of Klaus?"

Bonnie told him about the numerous times he had been at her house, invading her privacy and peace. She didn't tell him about their conversations, because it would sound mad to admit she had been talking to herself. Or him.

"Klaus knew his blood would have that effect on me, but he banked on it lasting a day or two. Problem is, I saw his vision as recently as yesterday."

Tony's head snapped up in interest. "He's here? In the safe-house?"

"Well, yeah, he's in my head."

"That's insane. I just have one question, though," Tony mused, scratching his head.

Bonnie shrugged hopelessly. "Only one?"

"If he pops up out of nowhere, does this mean he's seen you naked?"

"Tony! _Seriously_?"

"I'm joking! Stop hitting me!" he shouted, trying to protect himself against Bonnie's swats.

"How can you joke about this? How can you? Klaus is potentially planning on desiccating me to get what he wants!"

Tony grabbed hold of her palms. "Bonnie, you don't actually believe that –"

"He almost committed a massacre just to become a full hybrid again! Do you think I'll ever forget that night?"

Tony looked at her blankly. Her shoulders sagged in disappointment._ Of course. _He was made after all of that had happened. He hadn't seen what his master could really do.

"Boss wouldn't. He wouldn't kill for nothing."

Bonnie shook her head. "You don't know him that well."

"I _do_ –"

"No matter how you spin it, he's to blame for all of this. He's the reason I got bitten. He's the reason I had to drink his blood. He's the reason we're hiding -" she stopped for breath. "He's the reason everything is bad."

Tony furrowed his eyebrows in sadness. "You don't really think that."

"That's just it. I _know_ it."

* * *

"If you don't focus, sweetheart, you will lose track of the spell," Esther advised, pulling back Rebekah's hair.

She heaved a bored sigh and toyed with the frayed edges of the map.

"I'm not a child, Mother. You don't have to call me that."

"What would you have me call you?"

"Something that does not grate on my ears. Anyway, I want to go out in the sun and have _fun_ for a change. I don't want to spend my second day being human sitting inside and working on...magic."

Esther cast her a stern look. "Do you want to remain human, Bekah?"

"Of course, but –"

"Then we must find your brother and his last remaining hybrids. We must put an end to his reign."

"Why should I waste this new life on Nik?"

"Because you know he will try to take this gift from you."

Rebekah averted her gaze. She had shared enough time with Niklaus to know of his possessive selfishness. She could never have something of her own without him interfering. He always had to have a share. He always had the last word, too. Esther was right, but she would be damned if she let her brother steal her happiness again.

"I won't let him bully me."

"Then practice your magic."

"I don't _want_ to be a witch, either. I can stand up to him just as well. He doesn't frighten me anymore."

Esther groaned impatiently. She had forgotten what being a mother was like. Thankless job. She was counting the days until she could put her children to eternal sleep.

"Must I compare you to your brothers? Finn is making excellent progress. Even Kol is…trying. You're the only one who is stubborn."

She knew Rebekah couldn't stand being inferior to her siblings. She wrinkled her nose in contempt.

"What about Elijah?"

"I've sent him to find the hybrids." Of course, she had mostly done it to get him out of the house, since he followed her constantly and asked too many questions.

"Then why do_ I_ have to track them?"

"Because we are a family and we work together." She kissed the top of her daughter's head.

Rebekah was partially mollified. She was ready to try again. Esther put the knife in her palm and pressed hard.

_I don't require much from you, darling. I only ask you tap into your magic and let it flourish. And then, you will never have to make another effort again, _Esther thought with almost genuine kindness.

* * *

Back in her room, Bonnie lay sprawled on the queen-sized bed, contemplating the ceiling with murderous intensity. She could almost drill invisible holes in it with her mind. Abby still wasn't answering any of her calls. She needed her mom now more than ever. It was just dawning on her that she was stuck in a house with a ruthless predator who wanted to take her apart and his loyal servant who, when push came to shove, would probably listen to his master instead of her.

_Kind of like a Frankenstein set-up. _

"Now, that's a little bit farfetched, don't you think?"

Bonnie felt his weight settle comfortably next to hers. She groaned into the mattress.

Vision-Klaus was lying on his back, a faithful mirror to her own body. His arms were crossed behind his head and he bore a look of undisturbed contentment on his face.

"_No_."

"After all, Tony's been nothing but solicitous to you."

"Can't I have just _one_ moment to myself?"

"I would only be too eager to leave you to your petty concerns, but one of them involves _me_."

She turned on her elbow towards him. She was still not used to his close vicinity. If she stretched her hand just a little, it would land on his chest. She shifted slightly, to put more distance between them, but he occupied a lot of space. His largess, even in her imagination, was irritating. He was supposed to be smaller, or at the very least, not half so imposing.

"You feel guilty about what you said to me, don't you?" he goaded her.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"I am just as surprised as you are. But a little part of you seems to regret what you said. About my murderous ways."

"It was the truth!"

"Yes, but not the _whole_ truth," he conceded, staring into her eyes with a secret challenge.

"The whole truth is that you'll do whatever it takes to be a hybrid again."

"Maybe. But that's not what _you_ think, love."

"And what do I think?" she threw back, growing incensed.

"You think I meant what I said to you at the Ball."

Bonnie sighed. "You said a lot of nonsense that night and, contrary to popular belief, I haven't recorded your words to memory –"

"_I am capable of terrible things, and yet for some reason, stop myself when it comes to you_," he recited diligently. "See? You recall it quite well."

Bonnie wanted to hit him with her pillow, but then she'd be pillow-fighting with Vision-Klaus and the prospect sounded entirely ridiculous.

"So?" she snapped, hoping he'd go away soon. She pictured him fading away into oblivion. It didn't work. _Damn it._

_"So,_ you obviously liked it. You even felt a tingle of excitement at the idea."

Bonnie scoffed, scandalized. "I would have to be some kind of sick weirdo to consider, much less enjoy, something to horrible."

Vision-Klaus raised an eyebrow in amusement. "From one 'sick weirdo' to another, you liked it."

"You're wrong!"

"It made you feel special and powerful, because you, out of everyone, could be the exception. You could be the one I would never harm."

"What about the rest of the world?"

"That's the point, love. You liked it, in spite of and _because_ the rest of the world would suffer."

Bonnie drew her legs to her chest. "I could _never_ condone that."

"And yet…a dark part of you felt it could."

"There's no such part in me."

"It's talking to me right now," he argued softly.

She looked into his eyes and saw that he was simply a reflection of her feelings and the truth of it made her blush with shame.

"Now…wouldn't it be rather unfair if someone were to judge you based on this dark part alone?"

Bonnie gaped. She couldn't believe he had turned it around like that. Well, _she_ had. She must be some kind of masochist.

"You're not actually implying – that's completely different!"

"Is it?"

"Yes! I'm a good person, whereas you're –"

"Utterly evil and irredeemable?"

Bonnie paused, the words somehow stuck somewhere in her throat. She meant to say 'yes' and put an end to this aggravating argument, but her pestering conscience was not letting her have her way. She realized with chagrin that Vision-Klaus was her conscience, at the moment.

_The horrible irony._

"I wouldn't say it quite like that."

"Why not?"

"Because no one is irredeemable," Bonnie said in a small voice.

"How do you know _I_ am?"

She pursed her lips in thought. She couldn't explain it in words. It was an intricate web of experiences. She had seen Klaus care about Tony, share a joke with him, smile at his antics. She had seen his rage and pain when Esther had started killing his hybrids. She had seen his stupid, flowery hand-writing and his far too accomplished sketches of old churches. She had seen his pet wolf, Dyaba, and she had run her fingers through his fur. She had even seen him naked, bare - completely vulnerable. She had seen the animal, too, and he had restrained himself when he could have hurt her. She almost touched the spot on her neck where his claw had been.

It felt amiss to condemn someone like that to hell.

"That's the problem, Bonnie. The more you get to know me, the harder it is to forsake me. "

Bonnie let her head fall on the mattress. She looked up at the ceiling.

_Oh, hell. _She'd have to go talk to him, wouldn't she?

"Whenever you're ready, love," her companion quipped, provoking her.

* * *

Elijah could firmly declare he hated the smell of stale beer. It was inconvenient that the entire diner smelled like a cheap brewery. But then again, his borrowed clothes smelled like mold, so he fit into the environment quite naturally. It had been easy enough to procure this trucker outfit. He was loath to admit it, but he was almost relishing having to do things the old-fashioned way again.

Back in the good days, he had been in charge of finding strays or criminals who had betrayed the clan. This was not much different. Everyone who knew him used to jest that he could hardly blend in a crowd, what with his poised stature and high-class profile, but right now, sitting in this greasy diner with a baseball cap on his head - he was near invisible.

He picked at his mashed potatoes and toyed with the knife in his hand. He still had some vampiric strength left, but it would not last him long. What he counted on now mostly was brains and experience.

If only Niklaus could see him now. He would be touched Elijah had gone to the trouble of "tarnishing" himself, just to find him. He had told Esther he was going to find his brother's remaining hybrids, but he was more bent on finding the man himself. After all, Klaus owed him his side of the story.

Elijah pulled at his sleeve surreptitiously. He couldn't resist not wearing his expensive watch. He checked the time with increasing impatience.

He was supposed to meet with an old friend, someone who might give him a few leads. She had promised to come up from New Orleans. He had driven halfway just to see her, but her lateness did not bode well. She might not want to make the trip. That or, news traveled fast.

Another hour passed in begrudging solitude, except that the waitress came up to him thrice to refill his water. Elijah did not see the point of such an interruption. If he wanted to be pestered by a stranger, he would _ask_. He would never understand normal people's dining habits. Every time the little bell above the door tinkled, he looked up expectantly. But he only saw more truckers.

At length, one of them slipped inside the booth opposite him.

"Hey there – you traveling south by any chance? And if so, mind a pinch of gas? I got the canisters, you just gotta let me do my thing."

Elijah leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest before realizing it was too exacting a posture for his cover. He opted instead for a 'relaxed' pose and placed one hand on his backrest. It slid back down into his lap. He coughed, self-conscious.

_What on Earth does he mean by canisters?_

"Afraid I cannot – _can't _help you there."

"Aw, come on, one fellow to another. I got this discharge of plasma TVs and I'm due in five hours. Load of bullshit with the schedule, you know how it is."

"Five hours to…where?"

"Little Rock, Arkansas."

"Ah. Home of Douglas MacArthur."

"Who?"

"The Field Marshal in World War II who – you know what? Not important," Elijah waved his hand and dipped his cap further down.

"Say, you're a queer one. You a trivia buff or something?"

"No, no. Just a driver. Truck driver."

The bushy-browed man before him scratched his chin with a hint of suspicion.

"Well, I'm bust. How about a tow then? Can you do that? Haven't asked for cash yet, hope you noticed."

Elijah wondered if just getting up and leaving would attract attention.

"Now don't you think about leaving me high and dry," his companion warned, "or I'll call the cops on you to check your papers. Most of you pretty boys don't know squat."

Elijah almost smiled at the vulgar compliment. He looked into the man's eyes and focused on his pupils. What usually came so easy to him was now a difficult chore.

"You will forget having seen or spoken to me. After I leave, you will make sure to pay for my meal."

The truck driver flinched. "Hey, what're you –"

"You will _forget_ having seen or spoken to me," Elijah repeated with frustration.

It worked. A soft film settled over his intruder's eyes. He left a wad of money on the table and headed for the door.

When he burst out of the diner, he was sweating all over. He had to stop doing that. He needed to conserve his energies for when that parlor trick was no longer available, which would be quite soon, if his exhaustion was anything to go by.

He walked calmly to his car, but his hands were shaking. He leaned against the hood briefly, to settle his brittle nerves. This was ridiculous and very much unlike himself. But _who_ was the new Elijah? He was not the young man of his past mortality, but neither the reformed human of the present.

Dawn was going to break soon. He saw the hazy pink strip on the edge of horizon. Niklaus would have liked to paint this sky –

His next thoughts were addled. He was knocked down to the ground by a powerful force.

_The truck driver. The compulsion didn't work._

The stranger strapped him down with his weight, and in his present condition, he could do little to fight him off.

But when he saw his face, he gasped. Because this wasn't the truck driver.

"Elijah?" the familiar voice asked, hesitant but defiant.

The Original knew quite instantly that he had been waiting to capture him alone.

* * *

Klaus was sorting through the endless dusty tomes he had pulled off the shelves. He did not know what he was looking for specifically, but reacquainting himself with some magic would not be a detriment to his already compromised position.

It was a shame he couldn't find the patience required to sit down and peruse them. He was miserably flipping pages without paying attention. The letters jumbled and disintegrated before him. He couldn't believe how aimless he felt, and only because that little _wench_ had thrown some mindless insults at him. He had heard them all before.

But this time they stung. This time, they infuriated him, because for a moment, he had allowed himself to hope. For a moment, he had envisioned getting his powers back _through_ her. And it had never crossed his mind to reduce her to ashes in order to get there. But it had crossed _her_ mind.

The one time he had not thought of maiming someone, and he had been punished for it. But nursing his belittled ego would mean admitting his ego _had_ been belittled. He didn't care to do that yet. Whatever fancy he had harbored for her, it could not go on. The party was over. He was changed, unalterably. Without family, without children, without immortality. He was no longer the Hybrid, with a capital H. He could not dazzle or dominate her. Beyond the brilliant stage, there lay the sordid underworld of his real self. She was never going to accept him, and he was never going to accept her opinion of him.

He flipped another page angrily. There was a knock on the door.

"Klaus? Can I come in?"

He looked over his shoulder in consternation. _What is she doing here?_ A beat later, he composed himself. Of course, she wanted the library for herself.

Fuming with resentment, he pushed his books aside and stalked with purpose to the door.

"It's all yours," he greeted frostily, pointing at the empty room.

The witch did not look upon him with scorn. In fact, she appeared...amiable.

"Don't go," she said when he was about to close the door. "I wanted to talk to you."

There was hesitation in her voice, which made him curious. He noticed she was holding a book to her chest.

"I was wondering if you could tell me who this Grimoire belongs to. Tony gave it to me the other day and…I can't figure it out."

_Ah_. He should have known. He felt foolish for expecting anything else. He took the book from her stiffly and opened its pages with indifference. He couldn't hold up the act for long, though.

_Gloria_.

He recognized her mark instantly. His fingers traced the lazy scribbles she had made to various spells, the little flourishes that were so unmistakably her. He could almost see her before his eyes – the flamboyant, charming woman she had once been, both ageless and wise. He locked his jaw in painful memory.

His favorite witch, he had called her.

"Klaus?"

"It was used by a witch I once knew. Gloria was her name. She was killed by Katherine, of course."

Bonnie was startled by the information. "Why did Katherine kill her?"

"Why does the Petrova strumpet do anything? Because she can and wants to," he replied bitterly. He could see Bonnie restraining herself from making a comment about him. _Don't you do the same?_

He glared at her. "It was the saintly Stefan Salvatore who caused Gloria's death, actually. God only knows, Katerina is _madly_ in love with the fool. She did it on his behalf."

Bonnie winced. "Another love triangle. When will they learn?"

"I imagine never," he replied, flipping the book of spells shut.

"But why is her Grimoire here, if she…" Bonnie trailed off sadly. He disliked her ability to sympathize so quickly with strangers. After all, _she_ had not been friends with Gloria for over ninety years. But perhaps – perhaps he envied this proclivity too.

"She left it with me for safekeeping, sometime before she died."

"Left it with you? Why would she do that?"

"I did not take it by _force_, if that's what you're implying," he retorted, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm not implying anything, but you're the one who mentioned coercion, so I don't know why you're so offended -"

"Why would I be _offended_ by your heedless assumptions?"

"Heedless?" she echoed in disbelief.

"Yes, _quite_ so. And if this is all you wanted to talk about, I will be leaving promptly."

"No! Wait – I'm sorry."

The words stopped him dead in his steps. He must have heard wrong.

"What?"

Bonnie looked immensely uncomfortable, standing there like a deer in the headlights. She rubbed the back of her neck, keeping her eyes fixed to the floor.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. That's why I came in here, anyway."

Klaus was too stunned to offer a response.

"I mean – I'm _not_ sorry for calling you out on all the horrible stuff you've done to me and my friends ever since you came to Mystic Falls. You deserve every last bit of that and more."

He was prepared to scowl at that, but she didn't leave him room.

"_But_…you're not completely awful. And I shouldn't have immediately assumed you would try to hurt me. So I'm apologizing to you in the hope that…we can still have peace."

Klaus did not mean to soften up. He hated the very idea of softening up. But his features betrayed him. He took a step towards her, then quickly held himself back. It would not do to show too much emotion. In any case, he deserved an apology, didn't he?

"What…changed your mind?" he asked, despite his reserve.

"I guess, if you're never given a chance to show you're different, you're never going to _be_ different. So, if I just take it for granted that you're going to hurt me, then, you will. But if I assume you won't, if I assume you're going to do the right thing, then... you just might."

Klaus blinked. Her eyes showed no sign of deceit. She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, waiting to see how he would react. But he was too captivated by her fingers and the way her locks fell against her shoulder. He saw the image in a frame, like a detail from a great Dutch master. He would rather stare at it than think about what she had said. Because if he let himself think about it, he might believe her; he might believe that there was something inside of him which confirmed her words.

He deflected, instead.

"Another one of your grandmother's pearls of wisdom?"

"Oh, no. She would disown me if she heard I apologized to you."

Klaus chuckled. He was caught off guard. His face lit up, against his will. "Would she?"

Bonnie smiled a small smile. "She's glaring at me. I can feel it all the way from the spirit world."

He, on the other hand, could hear his old self groaning at the strange fluttering in his chest. He was not supposed to indulge in this kind of behavior. He was supposed to take charge and subjugate her – not smile like an idiot and simply stare.

He schooled his features into a mixture of playful danger and easy charm. "Let us have peace, then."

Bonnie nodded her head in agreement.

"I know you want what's inside me. Your old blood. I don't blame you. But if you ever _dare_ go back on our arrangement and hurt me, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life. I'm far more powerful than you are now. You should remember that."

Klaus eyed her with grudging admiration. He should have been more bothered by her assertion of power. But she was right. She was also wrong, of course.

"Bonnie." He stepped into her personal space. She stood her ground. "You should already know by now. The only people I am going to hurt are the ones who will dare hurt _you."_

He brushed the locks of hair from her shoulder. She inhaled sharply. His fingers paused on her collarbone.

"In the meantime, we should try to figure out how we'll handle this…anomaly," she blurted out abruptly, stepping away from him.

"Yes, of course. We might find something in my books. We'll start fresh in the morning," he said in a higher octave.

"Great. That's settled," she mumbled and fled the library before he had time to give her the Grimoire back.

* * *

Bonnie pulled her T-shirt over her head, angling the tooth-brush between her teeth in order to free her arms. She threw the clothes on the bed, carelessly. The wardrobe was packed with plenty of other articles. Not all of them were to her taste, but they were clearly meant for a female hybrid, no doubt.

_Ha. Aren't I one, though? I've got hybrid blood anyway._

Her mind was too full of Klaus and their previous conversation. She stepped into the bathroom to rinse her mouth. Her fingers worked with the zipper of her jeans. She rolled them off with ease, still very much preoccupied with the following morning and what she would say to the Original. Tony would act so smug when he realized they weren't fighting anymore. Well, she didn't know how long _that_ would last anyway.

She caught Vision-Klaus' reflection in the mirror again. This time, she didn't jump.

"I told you to cut that out," she complained, stepping out of the bathroom. "And I already talked to _him_. Hell, I even apologized, so you and my conscience can give me a break for the night."

"You… left the Grimoire behind you."

It took her half a second to realize this wasn't Vision-Klaus. It took her the other half to realize she was in her bra and panties.

Bonnie shrieked and grabbed the bed quilt, draping her body with it in a panic.

"I knocked, but you didn't hear me," Klaus offered, looking at an invisible point above her head in order to avoid staring.

She flushed in embarrassment. His features were perfectly neutral but she saw the hidden mischief in his eyes and she _absolutely_ hated him for it.

"I suppose you were talking to my apparition. Do you usually undress for him?" he asked innocently.

"Get out of my room!"

"Ah. I'll just drop this here then," he said, placing the Grimoire on a chair beside him. He made sure to perform the task with incredible slowness.

"Any day now," she muttered, tapping her foot anxiously.

"By the by, I meant to tell you, that Grimoire… is not exactly Gloria's."

Bonnie's quilt almost slipped from her chest. She pulled it up with record speed. The damn thing was heavy, and if he didn't leave soon, her arms would fall asleep.

"What do you mean it's not hers?"

"I mean she stole it. And made it her own. I don't know the identity of the original owner, however."

"Of course, your witch friend was a thief," she mumbled under her breath.

"I am sensing judgement on your part. Perhaps I should _stay_ and convince you she was a woman of character."

"No! I believe you! Just go. Now."

Klaus gave her one of his devilish smirks, the kind that made her want to strangle him.

"I'm glad we sorted out our differences. It's good to…bare ourselves to one another."

"I will throw this lamp at your head."

"Good night, Bonnie."

When he was mercifully gone, she ran to the door and locked it twice. She was going to go in the bathroom, fill up the tub and then drown herself. How did one go from holding knives at each other's throats to _this_?

She remembered Tony's fateful joke from hours ago. _If he pops up out of nowhere, does this mean he's seen you naked?_

She couldn't believe his stupid remark had come true. Only it was so much worse, because it had been the real Klaus.

_I guess we're even now. I saw him naked. He saw me…ugh._

She knew her cheeks were practically on fire.

_Better draw that bath._

* * *

_A/N: Gloria is a witch who appeared at the beginning of S3 and most of what I said here about her is true. If you want to check her out, you should go to the vampire diaries wiki page. Anyway, who's the familiar figure that accosted Elijah in the parking lot? We'll find out next time!_


	17. the return

_A/N: Well, I'm back! I know, not a very long absence. The muse is still strong, for now, but I think as school approaches, it will be on stand-by. Hopefully, I'll still be able to update regularly. Anyway, we are almost at the 300 mark! Hurrah! Thanks to **MaloryArcher, sincerelyki, Anastasia-G, nekittam, negrobarc, TheOneTrueBear, PracticallyCharmed, Quindecim, scylla98, thefudge is grumpy, Guest1** (thank you for understanding why I write Bonnie the way I do, I totally agree with you and I'm glad this fic manages to keep her in character. I hope she remains true to herself throughout my story, and thank you so much for your kind words. Glad to have turned you into a Klonnie shipper!), **Lady Maurelle, eva505, cice527, Charly43** (thanks a lot! I can't say much about how Bonnie and Klaus' blood bond will evolve - I mean, at this point, they don't even know they've accidentally bonded - but I hope you and everyone else will like it! You'll find out who tackled Elijah this chapter!), **Guest2** (thanks! Yes, that's why I focused on Elijah's difficulties in adjusting to human life, because he's always in control and this is probably the biggest challenge of his life: to acknowledge he hasn't got that much control left and go from there), **bluemagicrose, KrysGrayMist, Gabby** (thanks, I'm glad you liked the Klonnie moments! My lips are sealed but nakedness in the future is not excluded, for both parties :P ), **PAuline** (aww, I loved that line too! and a kiss is coming, but you know, you gotta let it simmer :P ), **Babaksmiles, DancesWithButterflies, mhngndh, Cecily Mitchell, Guest3** (thanks! sexy dream? well, why not sexy reality? *wink*), **mrsanita, Guest4** (thanks for your substantial review! I'm really glad you like Vision-Klaus and the narrative and emotional role he plays in the story, and I agree with you that Bonnie's friends are not really worthy of her, although they're more naive than bad-intentioned. And I'm thrilled the (Golden) Trio of Bonnie, Tony and Klaus is a success so far :), **25ShadesOfFebruary, Guest5** (thank you, I'm really flattered!)._

_This chapter has some twists along the way and the ending may seem surprising, but I hope you trust that it's going into some interesting places! _

_I hope you like!_

_P.S. I created a playlist for the fic, if anyone is interested to listen! You can find it on 8tracks, it's called "a little drop of poison" and my username there is also "not the bees". The playlist is tagged as "klonnie" so I think it should appear in the klonnie tag. I would link it on my profile, but hyperlinking doesn't seem to be working. So, I hope you find it! (8tracksdotcom/not the bees/a little drop of poison)_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

It was a weird morning, to say the least.

"Do either of you want more coffee?" Bonnie asked, fumbling with her words. She was looking anywhere but at their faces.

Klaus cleared his throat and tried to make an off-hand remark, but he only managed to say, "No thanks, love."

Tony watched the way she skidded nervously past Klaus on the way to the kitchen, and how his master quickly looked down at his book when the hybrid caught him staring.

He had expected there to be more conflict between them, considering the way they had left things. He had even expected the silent treatment. But this was neither. He actually couldn't figure out what _this_ was. Consequently, he didn't know which side to be on. It seemed safer to just observe them.

He wondered if maybe –

But no, these two would take months or possibly _years_ until they figured out they liked each other. Klaus had been direct from the start about his attraction, but Tony knew that it had only been the fancy of a powerful man, at least in the beginning. It was growing into something more, though. And Tony was both rooting for them to get together, but also wondering if that was such a good idea, after all.

_They don't have great timing, do they?_

"Found anything note-worthy, Anthony?"

Tony looked up quickly. His master had been watching him. Did he suspect the direction of his thoughts? Or was he just trying to diffuse some of the awkward tension in the room?

Bonnie came back with a fresh cup of coffee.

"I think I have something for you, but it could be another dead-end," she informed them, settling back in her chair.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more explicit," Klaus commented, innocently enough, but there was a charge to his voice that Tony recognized instantly.

He could've sworn Bonnie blushed.

"It's nothing that exciting. Just some old facts," she rebuffed, dragging one of the volumes on the Occult and placing it on the table between them.

Klaus shrugged. "The naked truth is sometimes more enticing than speculation."

Bonnie shot him a look. "Actually, I prefer my truth clothed and _dry_, thanks very much."

Tony scratched the back of his head. _Clothed and dry? Huh?_

"Whenever you're ready, love," his boss offered with faux-courtesy.

Bonnie huffed. "Well, there's something about blood-sharing in here, and I think it could provide a clue to our situation, but a lot of this stuff is unintelligible."

Klaus reached out to grab the book, but his fingers accidentally collided with Bonnie's wrist. He retrieved his hand quickly. The witch almost dropped the tome in her effort to show him the passage.

"Sorry. It's um – at the top of the page, really weird script."

Tony cocked an eyebrow at her, but Bonnie pointedly ignored him.

"Ah, I found it," Klaus replied, skimming the paragraph with interest. "It's in Old High German. I might be able to provide a translation soon."

"How old are these volumes, anyway?" she asked, fingering one of the leather-jackets.

"Most would belong in museums, if I could part with them."

"It's…an impressive collection," she muttered, flipping the pages with care.

The Original subdued the small smile playing on his lips. "Yes, I make it a point to own impressive items."

This time, Tony was _sure_ Bonnie blushed.

"So, if you could get to that translation –" she stammered.

"Of course, I will start on it immediately," Klaus replied, with a catch in his usual confident speech. Almost like he was _embarrassed._

"Okay, what the hell is going on between you two?" Tony blurted out, unable to refrain himself any longer.

The culprits simply stared at him.

"Don't give me those looks. Last time you were at each other's throats. Now you're acting like you've got an incriminating secret. And not that I mind, but I thought we were a team."

"Don't be silly, Tony. We – _I_ have nothing to hide," Bonnie offered with a tight-lipped smile.

"You heard the lady," Klaus agreed uniformly. "You're being paranoid."

"The _lady_?" Tony echoed, amused. "If you two could hear yourselves talk…"

"Neither of us is keeping anything from you," Bonnie said, affecting nonchalance. "You wanted us to get along, didn't you?"

"Yes, Anthony. Wasn't this your heart's desire? And now that we are acting civil you are suddenly displeased," Klaus joined in with a trace of humor in his voice.

Tony harrumphed.

"Right, _I'm_ the dumbass. But we'll see who has the last laugh. I got my eyes on you," he said, pointing his fingers at his pupils and then back at them.

Bonnie and Klaus exchanged a look over his head. _He's onto us, _Klaus seemed to say._ There's nothing to __**be**__ on to, _Bonnie protested, not very convincingly.

* * *

Humans needed rest. They even required prolonged sleep. Elijah experienced his fatigue like a badly-tailored suit. But he'd be damned if he fell asleep in such a vulnerable position. Well, perhaps there was little to fear from the hybrid. He appeared to want a truce, or some kind of understanding.

"And you've been in hiding all this time?" he inquired, pressing a cold hand to his eyelids.

"Yeah. Ever since I bit Bonnie, I sort of isolated myself. When I realized I couldn't live like this anymore, I left. I wanted to break my sire-bond with Klaus."

"Tyler, you do realize you're making little sense."

The boy sighed and rested his hands on the steering wheel. The parking lot was near empty now.

"I know. You're wondering why I'm here. I heard about what happened…with the hybrids and Esther."

Elijah had surmised this much. He reached out and turned up the AC. Being human also meant feeling cold, from time to time.

"An unfortunately violent outcome to what I had hoped would be a reasonable dispute. You must believe me, I…never meant for so much blood to be shed. Mother has disappointed me in that regard. She saw it as fit punishment for Niklaus, and no doubt, she wasn't entirely wrong, but…I cannot agree with the methods."

"So, all your fancy talk comes down to 'sorry, I just stood there and watched'," Tyler replied curtly.

Elijah frowned, feeling suddenly quite warmed up, despite the weather. "I put a stop to it when I had the chance."

"A little too late. Look, I don't expect you to understand this, but when Klaus made us, he basically forced us to be a pack, and a pack doesn't let its members die. Not even the new ones."

Elijah would've liked to tell him that he comprehended better than anyone. When Esther had turned him and his siblings into immortals, she had also sealed a pact between them – a pact which now stood to be broken. Humans could not afford to profess that kind of raw loyalty to one another.

"Yes…," he replied instead. "I know the old ones managed to escape."

"Some of them did, and from what I heard, they're not exactly _safe_. Esther's still coming after the rest."

Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose with a grimace. "I myself was sent to look for them."

The hybrid glared, but he didn't make any attempt to harm him. "I know. That's why I've been following you."

The Original laughed a short laugh. "Well, we make quite a team, don't we?"

"I just don't get one thing, Elijah. You're supposed to be an all-powerful vampire. So why are you _human_?"

"I'm afraid I will need a strong cup of coffee to recount the tale."

Tyler nodded his head, although he seemed to be thinking of something else.

"Does this mean Klaus is –"

Elijah looked up sharply. "Are you looking for your pack, or are you looking for revenge, Tyler? Because I will _not_ help you harm my brother."

Tyler winced, as if the Original had served him a blow. "Haven't got rid of the sire bond yet, so…I'm not exactly ready to pull his heart out. But I _would_ like to punch him."

Elijah chuckled bitterly. "Join the club."

* * *

Bonnie warred with herself whether to take another step. This wasn't a particularly good idea, but now that she'd thought of it, she had to do it. Otherwise, curiosity would just keep gnawing at her insides. She had always been the type to explore forbidden, creepy places, even as a kid. While Elena and Caroline had been frightened and wary of the woods surrounding their small town, little Bonnie had trekked right ahead, searching for treasure in each hole in the ground and each tree hollow. This was mostly on account of her grandmother, who used to tell her many stories and fairy tales involving enchanted forests. Hence, she had got it in her head she'd find magic in the woods.

_Oh, the irony. _

Years later, she still had that devil-may-care bravery stashed deep in her bones.

So, against her better judgment, she took another step towards the cellar.

Tony had locked the door leading into the vaults, but an unsealing spell solved that issue quickly. The door opened with a clang and a jarring sound, like nails on chalk. Bonnie gulped. No one was imprisoned down there, but just in case, she'd leave the main door wide open.

Just like the last time she had been there, the torches came to life against the wall. The flames left gloomy shadows in their wake. Bonnie wondered if this was another one of Gloria's spells. If she had concealed the safe-house, she must have also taken care of the cellar.

She kept walking until she reached the end of the corridor, where Klaus' cell stood open and forlorn. There was still congealed blood and angry marks of claws on the stone floor. She shuddered and turned left, eager to put that image behind her. She discovered a series of interconnected cells that sported a lot of heavy chains, which were shackled to the wall, and straps which were tied to the ceiling.

_To contain… creatures like Klaus. Werewolves. _

It was a bit like a reverse _Jane Eyre_. Her English teacher had told them that the attic represented Jane's subconscious, raging to be freed. The cellar was not very different. Was it a good thing, though, to be free? For a werewolf, containment was necessary, and freedom a curse.

But what if that was not really true? What if being a wolf wasn't so bad?

Bonnie shook her head. She had seen Klaus' torment the night they had arrived here and it had been a brutal sight. Vampires, at least, even in their worst stages had some sense of control. But you couldn't hold an animal responsible. A beast like that couldn't think or feel anymore. It had no control.

Although…that beast had almost recognized her. _What does that say about me?_

She decided to move on. There was a vaulted passage to her right that seemed to beckon to her.

Bonnie followed its path until she reached a pair of wooden doors, polished with silver edges. She swung them open with magic, and surveyed the room with apprehension. It looked like a proper chamber where someone might have lived, except that there was little furniture. There was a carpet leading from the doors to the center of the room. It stopped in front of a dark wooden pedestal. Bonnie walked up to it with her heart in her throat. She didn't know what she was expecting, but when she looked down, she found a glass casing, and inside this casing, there was a skull and a few bones.

Bonnie felt a little disappointed, although she was probably relieved too. This must have been one of Klaus' old enemies. But does one keep the remnants of one's enemy? Preserved under a glass case?

_Maybe it's a friend._

She noticed strange symbols on one side of the case. They were in some ancient language she couldn't read, but underneath those symbols, there was a legible name.

_Ansel. _

Bonnie chewed on her lip. It couldn't be someone from recent times. No one called their kid Ansel anymore. But whoever he had been, he must have been important to Klaus.

She touched the glass gingerly. It was so strange to think that these bones, this pedestal, this room – they were all so much older than her. She had lived such a short life in comparison.

Bonnie stood there for a while, thinking about the past, about Grams and Abby. She lost the notion of time. And then, she realized Klaus and Tony would be back soon.

They had gone out of the house to survey the grounds and take some exercise. Tony had looked excited at the prospect of training with his master again, although Klaus hadn't been very keen. He was no longer superior in strength to his hybrid, which must sting, despite their friendship.

Bonnie thought it would do him some good to be humbled for a change, although she didn't say so out loud. She had learned to choose her battles.

As she turned back through the vaulted passage and down the cell corridor, she thought she heard some strange howling, coming from above ground.

She rushed up the stairs towards the source of the sound.

Now the howling was as clear as day. And it was coming from the back of the house. Bonnie made her way through the ground floor and ran outside into the wild clearing.

Her face broke into a grin before she even knew what came over her.

"Dyaba!"

She had never been happier to see a wolf before. And he seemed just as happy to see her. Dyaba ran towards her and, instead of feeling frightened, Bonnie opened her arms. He was just as magnificent and ethereal in the daylight, but made much more adorable by his playful ministrations. He nuzzled her and bit her hair and licked her hands. Bonnie ran her fingers through his soft mane.

"I knew I saw you running after the car," she said to him, feeling confident somehow that he'd understand. "Why have you been hiding?"

Dyaba looked at her sincerely and howled mournfully, as if the reason was too sad for words.

"I'm so glad you're here now!" she said, hugging him again. Dyaba responded happily. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't completely alone anymore, but she felt an inordinate amount of happiness to have a pet wolf around.

She was so wrapped up in cuddling Dyaba that she didn't even notice someone else had appeared behind them. When she looked up, she was staring into Klaus' startled eyes.

"I thought – I thought he'd lost his way," the Original spoke in a whisper.

Bonnie smiled and scratched Dyaba behind his ears. The wolf yelped happily.

Klaus bent down, almost in awe, and placed his hand gently on the wolf's head. Instantly, the animal turned from Bonnie and lay down at his master's feet with a longing look in his eyes. She heard a string of undecipherable words as Klaus spoke to his pet in what she supposed was Aramaic.

"He found you," he said at length, looking up at her with an equally undecipherable look. There was still that old, ferocious intensity in it, but there was also a shy warmth that made her stomach do a strange assortment of flip-flops.

"He found _us_," she corrected, almost before she realized what she was saying. She reached out and caressed Dyaba's back. Klaus' hand traveled tentatively from the wolf's head towards Bonnie's fingers. But before he could touch her, he heard commotion behind them.

"So _that's_ what all the fuss was about! Dyaba, old sport! Glad to have you back."

Tony had sprung up from the woods, and he was smiling at the pet wolf, but also at the scene unfolding before him. He would have liked to take a picture, but both Bonnie and Klaus rose at the same time, spoiling the pleasant scenario.

"You know what this means, right?" Tony said, with barely repressed excitement.

His master scowled. "It's too early, Anthony. He's only just got here. Let him rest. Besides, I do not feel safe letting him cross the border back into dangerous territory."

"It's hardly dangerous for _him_, boss."

Bonnie frowned. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Dyaba can't be traced by magic, so Esther can't track him down," Tony explained, crouching down to touch the wolf's nozzle.

"He could still be in harm's way –" Klaus protested.

"True, but he _could_ bring back someone over and Esther wouldn't know. In this case, it would have to be –"

"One of the hybrids," Klaus finished for him.

"My mother," Bonnie chimed in at the same time.

Tony bit his lip. _Oh boy. Here we go._

"Wait, _what_?" the witch said, turning towards Klaus. "We need to get my mom. You know, _Abby_? The witch who pretty much saved the day the Ball?"

"And do exactly _what_ with her here, love? She is not a great fan of mine, and while I am grateful for her service, a hybrid would be a much more useful addition to our party."

"How is another hybrid going to fix things? My mother has magic and knowledge! She could help us figure out this blood connection!" Bonnie protested, growing red in the cheeks.

"Esther is still on the loose, _Bonnie_, and my children are still unprotected, the few that are left –"

_It was such a nice picture, while it lasted, the two of them petting the wolf_, Tony sighed in his head.

"I _know_ that, so why don't we just have Dyaba get my mom first and _then_ find the rest of your hybrids?"

"My wolf is not a cab ride!" Klaus bellowed, annoyed.

"And my mother is not expandable! So, Abby first, hybrids second," Bonnie insisted adamantly.

"Very well, love. Why don't we let Dyaba decide?" Klaus conceded with a smirk.

"You think he'll only listen to _you_?" Bonnie challenged, raising an eyebrow. "A couple of minutes ago he was running to _me_."

_Oh, this is going to be good. I'd better grab some snacks_, Tony thought, running into the house.

When he returned with a measly bag of chips, he found Bonnie and Klaus bent over the wolf, repeating their orders to him. Each was trying to sound more imposing than the other. The poor creature looked completely overwhelmed, standing there between them. His amber eyes shifted warily from the witch to the Original.

_Ha, Dyaba. Now you know what it's like, buddy, _Tony thought with both pity and mirth.

"No, no Aramaic! That's cheating!" Bonnie interposed at one point.

"_Cheating_? Oh, I can make him listen just as well in English!"

"We'll see about that!"

"Yes, we _shall_, when he returns with a hybrid," Klaus retorted.

"A hybrid that will bear a striking resemblance to my mother!" Bonnie bit back.

Tony shook his head and chewed on his chips. _Who needs cable when you have these two?_

* * *

Rebekah loved the sun. She had _always_ loved the sun. Although predisposed to long periods of absent-minded dreaming by moonlight, she had been attracted to the sun's warmth and vivacity ever since she could remember.

Nothing beat sunbathing. And nothing beat sunbathing as a human girl. Your skin felt like _your_ skin, and not some cold mask that kept everything out and locked you inside. She wriggled her toes in the grass and sighed contentedly.

Granted, this was autumn sunlight and it was neither strong nor very warm, but to her, it was a luxury spa. Her skin was prickly with goose bumps, but she didn't care.

_I might even catch a cold!_ she thought excitedly. She would be the first person to ever relish a runny nose and a bad cough.

It was so nice to get a rest from Esther's _mothering_. Here, by the side of the lake, no one could see her and no one could bother her. She was exhausted from exercising with magic all morning. It was such a strange new ability – like being back in school and having to relearn math. Although, no, this was more like learning math from scratch, because she had never known magic, had she?

Sometimes it felt like she had, but then again, she had always been surrounded by witches, especially in Nik's company.

_Niklaus. _

_No, no, I won't think of him. Not now in the sun. _

She felt drowsy and weak and…like she couldn't keep her eyelids open. Another human thing she had forgotten. As a vampire, she had hardly ever slept.

Would it be wrong to indulge now, half-naked in the sun?

She closed her eyes and thought about all the other things she'd get to do in the future. She thought about magic too. Would it be a useful tool along the way? Maybe help her travel or finish multiple degrees? Oh, she would certainly attend the Charles University of Prague! She'd always loved it there. And then, she'd think about settling down to start a family. France or Italy? Maybe Switzerland – although no, she never wanted to feel the cold again.

_But with whom?_ she thought a little sadly. _Who is going to come with me?_

Finn seemed wrapped up in his mother's plans, Kol was a barrel ready to explode, eager to test out the limits of his magic and Elijah…Elijah wouldn't want to go on a trip. Elijah would probably tell her she was being silly.

_No, that's more Nik's area. _

But she wasn't silly. She was going to have a wonderful life, even if she had to do it alone, for now. She had already booked a ticket to New York, for a start. Her mother would be mad at first, but she would understand.

She soon fell asleep.

* * *

Rebekah fought against a blockage in her throat, an inability to breathe. She was having a panic attack. She turned her head back and forth, sweat gathering above her eyebrows.

_My girl. It's all right. You're dreaming._

Rebekah wanted to speak, but her mouth wouldn't open.

_It was so good of your mother to make you practice. Now, you are connected to the spirits. For a while. _

Rebekah knew that voice. She could never _unknow_ it, despite the fact that it made shivers run down her spine.

_We don't have much time, my sweet. And I need you to do something for me. Will you do something for me? _

Rebekah shook her head.

_Your brothers are volatile creatures. But you are patient and kind, my dear girl. She will not suspect you. You must listen. It is of great importance, what I mean to do with your help. _

She wavered slightly, out of curiosity, out of childish weakness for a figure that had been etched in her heart with the stroke of time.

She woke with a start.

_Father_?

She was inside her skin again. Locked from within. And when she heard her voice speak, it wasn't _her_ speaking.

"Yes, my dear. I won't be long. I promise. There's just someone I need to retrieve."

* * *

_A/N: Ansel is a character on TO and if you want to spoil yourself and find out who he is, google him on the vampire diaries wiki :) It goes without saying that I'm changing the canon about him, but I think I mentioned before how this story modifies some stuff from TO. Also, I hope no one is alienated by this surprise-ending. Rebekah will have a big part to play in the future, and this is just the beginning. Anyway, thank you for reading and hope you check out the playlist!_


	18. the reunion

_A/N: Guess who's back with a new chapter? I've had some time off from school to write and I am taking advantage of it, of course :) _

_I am really so grateful for all your lovely responses and humbled that this fic has reached this number of reviews. Thanks to **PracticallyCharmed, nacy3451, ZOEYSEES, DancesWithButterflies, negrobarc,** **memory bleeds** (so do I!), **Anastasia-G,** **Cecily Mitchell**, **Lady Maurelle, Guest1** (yes, poor Dyaba, he's going to have a hard time with that, and I'm glad Tony's a favorite!), **Charly43** (thank you, you have some good hunches and you're definitely right that Esther is the bigger evil), **bluemagicrose, mrsanita, scylla98, cice527, Guest2** (aww, thank you so much, and no worries, sexy times will come too haha), **Gabby** (glad you liked the Dyaba moments, and you'll find out about Mikael and his plan more this chapter), **LeilaniStar, Guest3** (thank you, I'm glad that you're still up for the ride even if not everything makes sense at the moment. Let's just say Mikael has a helping hand, you'll see what I mean in this chapter, and yes, Tony is all of us, especially when he ships klonnie), **Izzie Jackson, princess-snow510, kayla** (oh, wow, thank you! you're very kind)._

_This chapter was a lot of fun to write, which is all I'll say about it._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

"You'll be glad to know I've managed to translate that piece of Old High German. It's nothing too useful, but it might provide some food for thought."

Bonnie drew up her knees to her chest and stared into the dying embers of the fire. She was only half-listening to Klaus. The wait was killing her. Abby was still not answering her phone. In fact, the connection had been cut completely. For all her confidence that Dyaba would choose to save her mother, she was aware that a wolf, even a very powerful one, couldn't rescue Abby by himself. She was growing more anxious by the minute and, sitting on the couch, doing nothing, was not helping her nerves. Ever since she could remember, she had hated feeling useless. Whenever a problem came up, Bonnie Bennett was there to solve it. Working up a sweat prevented her from thinking up horrible scenarios in her head. For example, what if both her mother _and_ the wolf ended up dead?

_No, no, no._

If she wasn't careful, she might spiral into a full panic attack and what good would that do?

The rush of joy and excitement she had felt when she'd seen Dyaba had been replaced by gnawing worry. Klaus' words were barely registered.

"It states that blood-sharing enacts a temporary bond between supernatural creatures. I already assumed as much. During times of war, it was supposedly a common ritual between allies, to strengthen their forces. The problem is, it says very little about a _prolonged_ state of blood-sharing, like ours. There is one word, however…it means "everlasting", but I am remiss as to what it refers exactly," Klaus mused, tracing the patterns of the text with his thumb. He looked up to find Bonnie still lost in thought.

"Here I would have thought this piece of information would amuse you, at least," he commented dryly.

Bonnie nodded her head absently.

Klaus frowned. He did not know how to proceed further. He was used to their bickering matches, their constant arguing. Even when Bonnie was sad or in pain, she lashed out with fire and thunder. Now she seemed lost, sitting there with her knees drawn to her chest.

After Dyaba had left, they had wandered back into the house, having nothing better to do while they waited. Tony had gone up to his quarters and Bonnie had tried calling her mother again. Klaus knew what she required. She needed someone to comfort her, to let her know everything would be all right in the end. But he was woefully unprepared for such a task. He was not an optimist by nature. Yes, he believed in victory and conquest, but he did not believe in happy endings. Happiness was a fleeting mistress and it was best not to hope for it when the world was split between the powerful and the weak.

Yet, it did not sit right with him to do nothing. He had never offered his shoulder to cry on to anyone. How would he even go about it?

Quite against his will, Bonnie's words from the previous night came back to him.

_If you're never given a chance to show you're different, you're never going to be different._

He sighed, knowing very well he would regret his present actions. He placed the dog-eared volume on the mantelpiece and walked over to her spot on the couch. He sat down next to her.

"I'm sure your mother is still alive. Even if Esther had enough power to kill her, she wouldn't be so foolish as to end the life of a useful source of power," he spoke, looking down at his feet sheepishly.

Bonnie's face turned into a grimace. "How is that supposed to make me feel better? It's been almost four days and I haven't heard a single word from her."

Klaus winced. He was not good at this comforting business at all.

"Well…perhaps she is keeping silent in order to protect you," he tried again, rubbing his palms awkwardly. "You have that certainty at least, that your mother loves you."

Bonnie lifted her chin from her knees. "Yeah, and we wasted more than a decade not telling it to each other. What if she never hears me say it?"

Klaus leaned back and looked up at the ornate ceiling. The sculpted leaves reminded him of places he'd once visited with Rebekah in Italy. That was a long time ago. He did not know why he remembered that of all things.

"You don't have to _tell_ a person you…care for them. Words are transitory. If you love her, she already knows."

Bonnie tilted her head to the side. She looked at him for a long time before she spoke. "…I didn't think of it that way."

Klaus half-smiled, although he was not sure where the conversation was going. He was never sure, these days.

"People rarely do. They hunger for impassioned declarations of love. Take it from someone who has lived a thousand lives. They're overrated."

Bonnie bit her lip. "I guess you're right. Grams didn't say it all the time, but I knew she loved me. She had a special way of brushing my hair. It's silly, I know. But it was her way of…saying it to me."

Klaus nodded his head. He remembered Elijah fixing his bow every time it got stuck. Klaus never asked him to, yet his brother always did it. But they had been children.

"And Mom, well…maybe leaving me was _her_ way of saying it," Bonnie concluded with a sad smile.

The Original leaned forward an inch. "What do you mean? Abandoning you is hardly proof of that."

"I know...nevermind, I just miss her." She wasn't sure she was ready to tell him about Abby and Mikael.

"Did you ever love Esther?" she inquired instead.

Klaus gave a cold laugh. "Maybe when I was a young and foolish boy."

"What about your brothers? Your sister?"

Klaus tensed, feeling the conversation was slipping into unknown and unpleasant territory. "I thought we were talking about you, little witch."

Bonnie shrugged. "I'm curious. I mean, you say love is a disease, but it seems to me you'd have to _know_ love in the first place to call it a disease."

Klaus cocked an eyebrow in reply. "And here I thought you were distraught over your mother. Yet you seem to be mincing my words instead."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I can do both, you know."

Klaus suppressed a smile. There it was, that familiar spark.

But her expression fell quickly. "It hurts a lot more, when you love someone and you don't know what's going to happen. Maybe you're lucky not to care so much."

Klaus drew in a short breath. "Yes, I am."

They were silent for a while. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he reached out and touched her knee. It was meant to be a reassuring pat, something to jolt her back to reality. But his palm lingered a moment too long, maybe because he wanted to dispel her sadness, or maybe because he was the one who sought comfort. He had been unmoored from everything he knew. He had once been the most powerful man alive. Whatever he was now, he did not want to think about it.

Klaus did not retract his hand fast enough. Bonnie ran her nails across his knuckles. The semblance of a caress. It felt ticklish.

_Ticklish_. That was not something an Original should feel. It was certainly not ferocious or awe-inspiring.

"Well, I know you care a _little_ bit," she amended, looking at their fingers.

They both withdrew their hands at the same time. Bonnie's knee felt cold.

"About your hybrids and...Tony, I mean. You care about them," she added, a little flustered.

Klaus did not know what to reply. He wondered if he should get up and leave her alone. Maybe they both needed solitude. Maybe that was safer.

"Could you…could you teach me that language? Aramaic?"

Of all the things she might have said, Klaus had not expected her to say _that._ He eyed her with bemusement.

"I know we're kind of in the middle of a messy situation right now, but I need – I need a distraction. And I'd like to be able to talk to Dyaba. Someday."

Klaus smirked, although his eyes were brightened by the idea. "Ah, this is all a ploy to steal my wolf from me, isn't it?"

Bonnie huffed. "Right. You uncovered my master plan."

"I wouldn't mind teaching you, if that's what you want. But I'm not a very…patient instructor. That was always Elijah's specialty."

She put her hands around her knees. "I'll take my chances."

Klaus knew that, this time, he had to get up and do something else. He was sure some lines had been crossed and he meant to reinstate them. Playing games and manipulating, flirting and dominating, that was what he knew. He might've fancied the witch, he might've wanted to possess her, but he was not about to let himself feel anything else. He _couldn't._ He had to cut these moments short. Their frequency was already alarming.

He was no longer a hybrid. This was the only thing that should have consumed him.

"Hey, Klaus?"

Her voice was soft. He cursed himself.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. For…trying to…well, thanks."

He shrugged it off. "You shouldn't thank me yet, love. We all know Dyaba will obey his master. He'll come back with a hybrid in no time."

Bonnie scoffed and threw one of the cushions after him as he left the living room.

He cursed himself again.

* * *

Abby felt the mattress spring dig into her back painfully, but if she did not get enough rest, she couldn't preserve her magic. So she closed her eyes again and tried to sleep. A difficult task, seeing as her mind refused to shut down.

Eventually, she fell into an uneasy slumber.

She was dreaming, perhaps, because she heard footsteps echoing outside the room. Was it one of Esther's visions again, come to haunt her? It would be like her, to keep her awake and play with her head.

She stubbornly kept her eyes closed, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. There was a click next, and then a loud, almost agonizing groan. The hinges were creaking. The door scraped against the hard floor.

Abby's stomach was in knots. She tried to pretend she was sleeping, but it was no use keeping her eyes closed. She knew, though, that when she opened them, she'd find the room empty and the door sealed shut. She was always given the illusion of escape, only for it to be robbed from her at the last moment.

The next part, however, was new. Because a hand landed on her shoulder, and shook it hard.

"Darling…darling, wake up."

Abby clenched her fists, feeling the magic hardening under her fingertips. She was prepared to attack the woman, for it was a woman's voice. One immobilizing spell was enough. Maybe it was all an elaborate trap, but _damn it_, she would go down swinging. Another moment of inaction would drive her mad.

She gave a battle cry and launched herself on her unsuspecting caller.

"Darling, it's me! Settle down, I'm here to help you!"

Abby was confused by the tone of her voice. The young woman grabbed her by the waist and held her there with an inordinate amount of gentleness. But there was something else in that grip. Possession.

Abby took in her beautiful features. Her silky blond hair trailed down her back. Her eyes shone with a strange warmth. Her smile was unnerving.

She thought she knew this girl. Esther's daughter. What the hell was _she_ doing here?

Abby wrenched herself away and flung her arms at her visitor. But the girl was ready. She raised up a magical barrier.

"You're…you're a witch now?" Abby demanded, more than asked, eyeing her pale face with distrust.

"Well, Rebekah is learning," the young woman replied. "But the spirits are lending me a hand. They want the Bennett line protected." There was an oddly familiar lilt in her voice. "As do I."

She took a step closer. Abby took a step back.

"No. I lie. I couldn't give a _damn_ about the rest of the Bennett line. I only care for you."

Abby's eyebrows lifted in consternation. "You don't _know_ me."

"Of course I do. I can never _un_know you. Gods be good, you don't know how long I've waited to see your face again, Abigail."

She felt the ground shift under her feet. She had to rest a hand against the wall to make sure there was still something solid behind her.

"What did you call me?"

No one called her that. No one said that name with that particular inflection. No one but –

The young woman took another step towards her, until Abby could feel her breath on her cheek.

"My stubborn Abigail." She learned forward and captured Abby's lips in a soft, but hungry kiss.

The Bennett witch was pushed up against the wall with a shriek. It was quickly swallowed by the foreign mouth pressed against her own.

In the first few moments, Abby was frozen in shock. She tried to fight the strange sensation in her stomach that was telling her to respond, because surely, she could not kiss this girl. Yet the warm lips which moved against hers felt so sure, so familiar, so horribly intoxicating. She felt hands on her cheek, pulling her closer, pushing past her barriers. She wanted to give in. Abby tore herself away with a guilty feeling of regret.

"Mikael," she whispered, lips tingling.

The young woman smirked. "If this were not my poor daughter's body I am abusing, I would not stop at a simple kiss."

_It is him._

Only he would say something so preposterous. Abby almost hated the thrill of joy that ran through her body. He was here with her again, against all odds. Of course, she had never killed him. She should have. Oh, _gods_. She should have.

"Any other reunion must wait. We don't have much time. Esther and Finn are not home at the moment. It's our time to strike."

Abby looked beyond her at the open door. "How will we –?"

"My devil of a wife has put up some nasty magical shields around the place, but I've got a plan. I only ask you trust its rather unorthodox execution."

* * *

Stefan knew something was wrong when he couldn't pass over the threshold. The Mikaelson Mansion belonged to Klaus, as far as he knew. And Klaus was an immortal hybrid. But neither he, nor Damon could go through it anymore.

"What the hell is going on?" his brother demanded.

"What are you two dunderheads doing here?"

Stefan groaned. Kol Mikaelson stepped into the hallway with a wicked grin on his face. He never seemed to wear a different expression.

"Come back for more play time? I thought you'd rather had enough. But perhaps it's true what they say. You two have a death wish."

Damon's nostrils flared in anger. "Drop the dramatics, _kid_. We're not here for Shakespeare in the park."

"Kid?" Kol echoed, amused. "You do realize I'm several hundred years older than you?"

"Yeah, and look what good that did you. You're still an obnoxious brat," Damon retorted with a heavy emphasis on the last word. "Are you gonna call Mommy to fight your battles again?"

The Original chuckled, but his eyes were cold and deadly.

He turned towards Stefan. "Your brother is following a dangerous course of action, I'm afraid."

"He didn't come here to repartee," Stefan replied, throwing Damon a look. "Rebekah called us. She said it was in our advantage to…reach an agreement."

Kol cocked his head, appearing intrigued by the prospect.

"Did she now? My sweet sister likely regrets attacking you at the Ball. She's silly like that. Or…who knows, she might still carry a torch for you," he taunted with a salacious smirk.

"Oh, yes, I know all about you and her. You two shared an interesting…history, I must say."

Stefan bit down on whatever smart retort he was about to deliver. He leaned against the door frame.

"How is it that we can't come in anymore?"

Kol's expression darkened considerably, although his insolent smirk was left intact.

"Ah, so many new things have occurred. One more astonishing than the other. For example…"

Kol lifted his hands and gritted his teeth. He barked the Latin words with the force of a gale.

Damon and Stefan instantly balked under the pressure of magic. They knelt in the doorway, gripping their heads.

"I'm still a little rusty at the moment, but I'm practicing!" Kol yelled over their groans.

"What the hell are you doing, Kol?"

Stefan heard Rebekah through the blinding pain. The magic lost its potency as the Original turned towards his sister.

"Just entertaining our guests, Bekah. The guests _you've_ invited."

"Me? I never invited them," she protested.

Stefan pinched his throbbing forehead. "You called _me_, Rebekah. You said you wanted to talk. You said you had some information for us. About Bonnie?"

The girl looked at him as if he was speaking Chinese.

"Why would I want to tell _you_ anything, Stefan? You turned your back on me. You and your despicable little girlfriend."

"Enough bullshit," Damon interrupted, getting up shakily. "I don't remember Original vampires having magical powers. So, this is a trap. _Mommy_ is running the show, isn't she? You two still can't do crap without her."

Kol had had enough of his taunts. He raised his arms again and this time, Rebekah joined him.

"Don't let them get away, Kol!" she yelled.

The Salvatores had enough time to retreat a few feet before the spells hit them. There was a strange vibration in the atmosphere, as if the Mansion itself were roaring with magic.

Stefan saw the air split in half and he gripped his head to keep from splitting himself. Despite the pain, it was all too clear something dreadful had happened. The Originals were different.

He barely registered Rebekah shouting, "The shields are down temporarily! Go!"

He saw a blur of dark curls run past him, but he wasn't sure if what he was seeing was real. What he did notice, in spite of the aneurysm, was that Rebekah Mikaelson ran, too. And she did not speed out of there like any vampire would. She just ran.


	19. the light

_A/N: Look who's just updated :) I had another short bout of inspiration so I decided to put it to good use. I should let you know I have a full plan for where the narrative is heading, but it's a sketch which I flesh out with each new chapter. Anyway, thanks so much for all your kind reviews! _

_Thanks to **MaloryArcher, Izzie Jackson, negrobarc, poppins29, Guest** (It sure will be! Can't wait to write it soon!), **Charly43** (hi, thanks you! you're definitely onto some of these plot threads, but you'll see if you're right or wrong in future chapters. This chapter should clue you in on Mikael more. Yes, his body, as of now, was destroyed when he was killed by Klaus in 3x09, but since he's a supernatural, he's been spending time on the Other Side), **TheOneTrueBear,** **thefudge is grumpy**, **Cecily Mitchell**, **Lady Maurelle**, **cice527, Cmechillin, Babaksmiles, Anastasia-G, Gabby** (thank you, I enjoy writing slow-burn like there's no tomorrow, but I promise some kissing is coming soon. You'll get more Mikael/Abby this chapter too!), **bluemagicrose, WearRedTonight, ishipwhateverthefuckiwantto, scylla98.**_

_Just a couple of reminders: Mikael was killed by Klaus in 3x09, but his spirit/soul went to the Other Side since he is a supernatural. The Other Side is still intact in season 3. Also, the white oak stake has not been made indestructible by Esther yet. And in chapter 14, I mentioned some hybrids hiding out on Lakota territory (two of them are Native Americans). Anyway, hopefully everything makes sense. _

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Sheila had once told Abby that while witches cast charms, they were also very much susceptible to them. As a kid, Abby hadn't really understood the meaning of that elusive warning. Even as an adult, fate hadn't managed to ensnare her in such a trap. Mikael had changed that, for the better or worse.

It was strange how little she had lived before meeting him. In a way, that was a lie. She had accomplished many things by the time Bonnie was born, but somehow, she'd never gotten that heart-rending feeling in her chest whenever she looked at Rudy. She loved him as a friend and a companion, but something essential was missing from their bond and she had denied it, until meeting the Original.

Now, with some hindsight, she would choose her husband. She would choose security and comfort. But it was too late for that.

Sitting in the passenger seat of a stolen car, comfort and security were the last things on her mind.

"I managed to retrieve your phone," Mikael was saying as he took a turn at a crossroads. "An unknown number has called you numerous times. It can only be your daughter, I'm sure."

He pointed at a paper bag in the backseat. Abby lunged for it eagerly, but she found something else along with her cellphone.

"Mikael, what is this?"

The blond girl grinned with mischief. "The white oak stake, of course. The only weapon that can kill my son. I managed to filch it from Esther."

Abby moved her hand up and down the wooden stake, half in reverence, half in disgust. The ancient artifact vibrated with sinister violence. "Would it kill you too?"

Mikael raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't be Abigail if you did not ask that question. Would you do it, then?"

Abby bit her lip. "You chose your body well. You know I can't kill this kid."

He laughed. "I'll have you know my Bekah is over a thousand years old."

"Doesn't change the fact that she's a kid. I can't believe you're using your own daughter."

"Can't you, truly?"

Even through the distracting visage of Rebekah Mikaelson, Abby could see Mikael's hungry, playful gaze. Its warmth was both exhilarating and terrifying.

"You haven't changed much," Abby mused, looking away.

"Death will do that to a man," he replied soberly.

"I heard. I went through all that trouble to keep your body dormant and desiccated, and they just _had_ to wake you up."

"I'm sure you cried tears of blood in my name," he teased, casting her a sidelong glance.

"When I heard Klaus had killed you, I mostly didn't want to believe it. You never stay dead," she murmured, obstinately keeping her eyes on the scenery. Her voice sounded resentful, almost angry, but they both knew better.

Mikael reached forward and placed one hand on her arm. At first, Abby remained still, but when his fingers found hers, she gently squeezed them out of a misguided flare of emotion. She quickly retracted her hand.

"Ah, well. I had some company on the Other Side. Not _all_ pleasant, as I happened upon enemies I'd vanquished in the past. Apparently, grudges never die. But the Spirits were extremely pliant to my cause…when they heard I was joining yours. It pays to have a man like me on your side."

Abby snorted. "I'm pretty sure _you_ begged them to help you. And not the other way around."

"Me? _Beg_? Woman, you dishonor me. When have you ever seen me in a supplicant position?" he demanded mock-sternly. The corners of his mouth lifted in a knowing smirk. Abby blushed, remembering some of their fiery arguments…and reconciliations.

"No, the Spirits sensed the line is in trouble. Ever since my bastard son returned to Mystic Falls, the Bennetts have been living under a shadow."

Abby frowned, fingering the tip of the stake with apprehension.

"Is that why you mean to kill Klaus? To protect _us_?" she retorted, half in derision, half in doubt.

"If your interests align with mine," he answered instead, "why _shouldn't_ I protect you and your daughter?"

"You have your own family."

He laughed, but it was the girl's soft peal that she heard instead.

"Ah, yes. And what a family…Most would choose the Other Side."

"You clearly don't love Rebekah," she mused, staring at the blond girl's profile.

"Pardon me? I love my daughter! That is why I only ever use the people I cherish. I discard the rest."

_Of course. Mikael logic_. She'd almost missed his insane way of thinking.

"Maybe you care for her, but you definitely hate Klaus. And while that's fine with me…my daughter is the one hiding out with him. Her safety is tied to his. So if you decide to hurt Klaus, you might also hurt Bonnie. I can't allow that."

The car slowed down considerably. Mikael stared at her for a moment.

"You truly believe I would be so foolish? I am doing this for _us._ We will find them, get your daughter to safety, and then drive this stake through his heart."

Abby felt a strange hollowness in her stomach. She hadn't eaten in a while and she was fairly tired. But it wasn't just that. She was holding an object of terrible power in her hands. And she was thinking about committing murder with it. She shuddered. She wanted to burn it and throw it away.

"I can see your doubt, Abigail. But do you honestly believe Niklaus has not hurt her, to the extent that he deserves this final retribution?"

"Don't talk to me about that. I was opposed to their meeting from the moment I heard he was back."

"Well, then?"

Abby dropped the stake inside the paper bag. "He…" _I fought with him against Esther at the Ball…My Bonnie fought with him…He called me…he knew I would be needed._

"Do you truly believe he will not use Bonnie for his own ends?" Mikael pried once more.

Abby swallowed.

"He deserves what's coming to him," she agreed reluctantly.

"Of course he does. Now, make sure you call your daughter back. She'll be thrilled to hear from you. Tell her you're coming."

* * *

Finn gazed at the scorched bodies with something like a sick thrill. He hated their smell and their odious look, but there was something purifying about the scene. He sat down on an elevated rock and let the extraneous energy run its course. Magic was a tricky thing to balance. He hadn't overworked himself, but he still felt exhausted.

He saw his mother from a distance. She was walking through the camp, checking to see if there was anyone still alive. Their ambush had been of little momentum. They had only found five hybrids, and his mother was certain two more had escaped the area before they unleashed their attack.

"Oh, holy Mother, your land has been cleansed of the abomination," he heard Esther chant, before she trailed off into vigorous Latin.

_Well, five abominations. Still some left out there, _he thought with chagrin.

The old hybrids were proving to be a fastidious bunch. But just as these had betrayed themselves, so would the others. They had tried to contact Niklaus. Their folly.

_It must be instinct…to try to call to your father. _

He thought of his own father, dead at the hand of Niklaus. He would never be able to call upon him again. He wiped his mouth and looked up, in time to see Esther approaching.

"Our job here is done. We are making some progress, but we must stay sharp," she cautioned, touching his cheek with more sting than caress.

"What about Elijah? Do you think he will find any hybrids?"

Esther laughed, shaking her shoulders. "Oh, darling boy! I only sent him out to look for hybrids to give him an occupation. It should keep him out of our hairs for a while. You see, he would not condone our steel resolve."

The corpses seemed to confirm her words. Soon, they would be ashes. Finn nodded his head in understanding.

But he was alarmed when his mother suddenly looked beyond him into the forest.

"What is it? A hybrid?"

Her brow was darkened with concern. "I thought I felt – well, something ominous. Something _older_."

"Should I go look?" he inquired.

"No. We must be on our way. I cannot reach further into the Lakota land. Already my powers are weakened. Besides, the site needs to heal itself."

_A burial site_, he pondered with some levity, only sparing one more glance to the burning corpses.

* * *

Dyaba ran into the mist. He _became_ one with the mist in a very short time. Silly perhaps, but he still loved the feeling of weightlessness, after all these centuries. Now, however, he fled only with a sense of dark foreboding.

He had come too late to witness Esther's carnage, but he had seen enough.

He didn't want to admit to himself that he felt aimless.

The Bennett mother had been absent from the Mikaelson Mansion when he had prowled the surroundings for her scent. The hybrids were also dwindling fast. He would not return to Niklaus without at least one of them, however. He never failed him and he was not about to begin now.

But how to track the creatures running in horror from a mad daemon, such as Esther? Men believed it was fear that betrayed them, but it cloaked them in shadows and despair, where he could not pierce through easily.

_Of course._

He needed to find a hybrid that was _not_ afraid of Esther. A hybrid that was not running from the horror.

He stopped, all of a sudden, and seemed to fall in a dreamless sleep. He put his head to the ground. He closed his eyes and inhaled the soil through its porous skin. He could taste the trees' sap under his tongue. He could see the roots sinking into the entrails of the earth. In the deep ground, underneath everything that lived, there pulsed a different heart. He listened to its beat for a long time. And then, he woke, he rose, and ran.

* * *

Bonnie felt warm tears trickle down her chin. She could barely speak, much less form coherent sentences. She clutched the phone to her ear, dreading that it might all be a dream or some kind of trick.

But her mother sounded so real. She sounded like _Abby._

"I love you, Bonnie. Please tell me you're all right."

"I love you too," she managed to croak through the tears. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before! I've always loved you –"

She stopped and tried to recover her breath.

"I never stopped loving you either, bear cub."

Bonnie put a hand over her mouth and bit back the tears. She remembered 'bear cub'. Somehow, after all these years, she remembered the nickname. Her father had never called her that after Abby had left.

"I'm coming to get you and I'm never leaving you again, you hear me? Not for the world," her mother promised. She sounded so…_motherly_ and stern, Bonnie almost wanted to laugh, but she only spilled more tears.

"I won't let you leave again either," Bonnie agreed, wiping away the tears with a smile.

"Good, because we have a _lot_ of catching up to do. But first thing's first. I need to know you're safe."

"I'm safe, Mom. I was actually going crazy worried over _you_! Tony and Klaus helped me… cope with your absence. They both knew Esther could never really defeat you. You're too strong for that," she said with ridiculous pride. She didn't care. Her mother was alive and she was going to be there soon! There was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"But you also had Dyaba's help, didn't you?" Bonnie inquired, thinking fondly of the loyal wolf.

"Who?"

"You didn't see him? The wolf?"

"No, sweetheart, I got myself out. There was no wolf."

"Oh." Bonnie tried not to sound too disappointed. Suppose Klaus had been right and Dyaba listened to him more. He was his master, after all. But she'd never admit that to his face.

"Bear cub? Can you tell me where you are right now? I'm coming to get you, and I don't want to waste another minute."

"Umm, yes, of course. But it's really important no one finds out about this place, so you have to come alone, okay? You're absolutely alone, right?"

There was only a short pause on the other end.

"Sorry, I switched lanes. Of course I'm alone, bear cub."

* * *

"Oh, Bon. I hate seeing you like this."

Bonnie looked up in alarm from the slim notebook. Klaus had written down some common words and their phonetic pronunciation in Aramaic. She had been going over them in silence. He was going to listen to her practice later, and she wanted to be prepared for her first proper lesson.

Tony set down a mug of tea in front of her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…you've been crying, obviously."

Bonnie wiped at her cheeks self-consciously. She had been crying, yes, but those had been tears of happiness. Of course, she hadn't told Tony or Klaus yet. She knew for a fact the Original would be displeased with her. He wasn't very keen on having Abby over anyway. And Tony, no matter how reliable and sweet, was still Klaus' man. She was just going to confront them with the new guest once she arrived. It was better than quarreling again when she had just managed to build the semblance of some peace with Klaus.

"I'm okay, I just miss my mom a lot."

"I miss some things too. Like supermarkets and spas. Some of my old hybrid pals, too. Wonder what they're doing right now…" Tony trailed off with a chuckle, but Bonnie could see the worry lines around his mouth. He was good at repressing emotion. But she had learned to read him, much like she was learning to read Klaus.

"They're probably rallying the troops, trying to coming up with a plan to kick Esther's butt. Just like we are," she said, patting his shoulder encouragingly. _Once my mom gets here, we can start forming a strategy. She'll know what to do._

"We're not going to kick her _butt,_ Bonnie. We're going to break every bone in that body, drain her of every drop of blood, and then burn her corpse," Tony amended humorously, and though his tone was light, she knew he would make good on that promise.

"You know very well a witch is harder to kill than that," she argued, arching an eyebrow.

"Hey, the killing comes _after_ all that fun."

Bonnie nudged him in the ribs. "You're awful."

"Only because I'm right. So, what are you studying there, Bennett?"

"Just some ol' Aramaic. Nothing too complex," she replied jokingly, but Tony's mien turned oddly serious for a moment.

"Wait, _Aramaic?_ Boss is teaching you Aramaic? Really?"

"Um, yeah. I asked and he agreed. I need a distraction. What, why are you looking at me like that?"

Tony shrugged. "Nothing, it's just that…Boss doesn't like to talk Aramaic unless he's chatting with Dyaba. And their conversations aren't exactly _long_."

Bonnie scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Why doesn't he like to talk his language?"

"Well, it's the mark of the past. I don't know if you've noticed, but boss likes to run from it. But don't let him hear I said that."

"Then why did he agree to teach me?"

It was Tony's turn to arch his eyebrow. "Yeah, okay, let's act like that's not _friggin_ obvious and you don't already know."

"Know what, exactly?"

They both turned around, like children who'd been caught pilfering the cookie jar.

Klaus was staring at them expectantly.

"Uuuh, that "mother" in Aramaic is "_ayema_"," Bonnie offered clumsily.

"That's an atrocious pronunciation if I ever heard one," the Original commented with a shake of his head.

"Give me a break, it's my first day."

"Don't expect me to go easy on you. Like I said, I'm not a very patient instructor," Klaus spoke, sauntering into the living room.

He turned his gaze on Tony, who quickly got the message, but made sure to roll his eyes in aggravation before leaving them alone.

"_Teenagers_," the hybrid muttered under his breath as he passed them by.

Bonnie straightened her shoulders and pulled down her legs. She closed the notebook in front of her and took a deep breath. Klaus was standing on the other side of the room, one elbow leaning against the mantelpiece. He was conspicuously silent for the moment, so she took this as her cue to start reciting the words she had learned.

The vowels were all wrong on her tongue. They had sounded better in her head. She stumbled and hiccupped several times in the middle of her speech. She sounded drunk, only she was completely sober. She paused, at one point, and tried to sneak a look at her notebook, but Klaus scowled warningly, and she dropped her fingers despondently. He looked sideways to hide his smile. A teacher should be firm and taxing and he shouldn't be endeared by his student's obvious floundering.

"Um, eyuu-eyuuu…uuuum…I swear I had it a minute ago…" she trailed off hopelessly.

Klaus shook his head and drummed his fingers against the mantelpiece.

"Is that how you were taught languages in school? By rote chanting?"

Bonnie glowered at him. "I think I'm doing _okay_ for a total beginner in a defunct language. And everyone knows you have to learn things by heart, at first. I mean, isn't that why you wrote down these words?"

"Actually, no, love. I wrote the words so you could see the language…see the old script that no one ever writes anymore. Open the notebook. Look at it."

Bonnie didn't want to obey, but she _had_ agreed to be his pupil, one way or another.

So she flipped the notebook open and stared at the script. She hadn't bothered looking over it much. She had only poured over the phonetic rendering.

But as she considered them now, the scribbles certainly did look like an old spell, something so archaic and forgotten that no present hand could master it. As if magic itself had to be used in order to produce them.

She ran her fingers over the dry ink.

"They are dead inscriptions, that much is true. But you give them life when you acknowledge the power they have over you," he spoke smoothly, watching her face with interest.

Bonnie frowned. She couldn't see the power yet. Yes, the calligraphy was beautiful, she supposed, and their ancient provenance was fascinating, but…was there something else she was missing?

"You cannot and must _not_ dissociate the script from the sound. When you speak the word you must visualize its shape in writing," he advised further.

"But…that's not exactly productive. Wouldn't I learn faster if I focused on the sounds?"

Klaus scoffed. "These aren't _modern_ languages. When you have managed to say the word and _feel_ the script, you will have discovered its real power."

Bonnie was beginning to regret this distraction, but she decided to give it a try. She chose "mother". She tried first to memorize the slant of the script, but it was hopelessly complex in its lines and strokes. She mouthed the sounds to herself and moved her fingers in the air, trying to draw the strokes. It was painstakingly hard. But she had encountered worse challenges.

Klaus watched her with a feeling of unearned pride. He had no reason to enjoy the image of Bonnie Bennett trying to speak Aramaic, but it still stirred some vestige of nostalgia in his breast. Not for the past, no. For a future that would never truly materialize.

"Well, was that any good?" she demanded, breaking his reverie.

Klaus coughed. "Sorry, love, you'll have to repeat that."

"Why are you standing so far away, anyway?"

"To get a better grasp of your pronunciation," he lied smoothly, looking into the empty grate.

"Well, that's not working for me," Bonnie sighed, getting up and taking the notebook with her.

Klaus knew just how _silly_ it would look for an Original to balk from a witch. After all, Bonnie was simply walking towards him, and that shouldn't cause him any qualms. Except he had expressly decided not to let her near him so much. And not to let himself near her, either. It was a double-edged sword that was difficult to wield, given their current situation.

Had he been the old Klaus, who had trapped her in his arms the night of the Ball, he might have given in to his instincts. Every waking hour, every breath was spent on wishing he could return to that time, not so long ago. Yet, it was strange. In this very moment, as Bonnie approached him, he wanted to be neither.

He didn't want to be the old Klaus. He didn't want to be the new Klaus. He wanted…to be someone she would willingly come to. Like she was doing right now.

Bonnie stopped in front of him and took a deep breath.

"Okay, I think I got it. Maybe. Don't laugh."

She thought about Abby. She thought about her mother, who was right now on her way to find her. She wasn't running from her daughter. She was running _to_ her. Bonnie thought about the moment when she would jump into her open arms and hug her. She saw the script before her eyes, an open gate that was full of sunshine and love.

"_Ayema_."

Bonnie closed her eyes and savored the moment. She said it again. And again.

Klaus stared at her unsuspecting face. He wondered at the serenity and kindness that seemed to grace every angle and every curve of that countenance. How did one become so full of light? Oh, he had seen her angry and murderous and ready to kill. She was a fierce enemy, a dangerous witch. But she never seemed to lose this light.

He raised his hand towards her cheek, but he stopped halfway. He only touched air.

He didn't want to smother that light. If he caressed her skin, if he rasped his knuckles against her jaw and if he then lightly gripped her chin and pulled her to him, he would snuff out something beautiful.

Bonnie opened her eyes.

Klaus looked relatively pleased with her performance, but there was a kind of lightness about him that she had seen before, only she couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when.

"Not too bad, I suppose," he drawled.

"You don't do compliments, do you? And I mean _honest_ compliments, not your flirty little innuendos."

Klaus blinked. Had he not believed her when he had called her beautiful at the Ball? In fact, he had lavished her with several epithets that night.

Yet she had not come to him freely. And she had not wanted his compliments _then_. But she wanted them now.

"How is this for an honest compliment? You're a _natural_."

Bonnie's eyes brightened, and she chuckled. "Me? A natural? My Spanish teacher would disagree."

"Well, he doesn't know what a witch can do."

Bonnie bit her lip and hugged the notebook to her chest. "You're not so bad yourself."

Klaus did not know whether she was referring strictly to his teaching, but he decided not to pry into it. He would only spoil the moment.

_Bloody hell, we were not supposed to have __**another**__ moment._

"I think that's enough for one lesson."

A brief look of disappointment flickered over her face, but it was quickly replaced by a friendly smile.

"Yeah, I should go practice some more."

She waltzed out of the room with happy thoughts about Abby…and maybe the Original too.

* * *

_A/N: well, there's a storm brewing...see you next time!_


	20. the fire

_A/N: At long last, an update! Midterms were not kind to me, which is why this chapter took so long to finish. As always, thank you so much for your support, it really means everything to me. I still can't believe this fic has over 300 reviews! You are all wonderful! _

_Thanks to **PracticallyCharmed, DancesWithButterflies, MaloryArcher, thefudge is grumpy, lalororo5,** **Izzie Jackson**, **negrobarc, toooldforfanfic, TheDreamer17, Quindecim, ZOEYSEES, Guest1** (thanks a lot!), **Lady Maurelle**, **Anastasia-G,** **Cecily Mitchell**, **Guest2** (yes, Finn's current situation is rather tragic, isn't it? Haha, I am waiting for that kiss too, if it's any consolation), **ishipwhateverthefuckiwantto, freckled98, Guest3** (aww, I see the popular theme here is kissing. no worries, it will come!), **Guest4** (it's mine too, although I don't feel guilty at all haha), **Payton** (thank you! that's really nice to hear!), **bluemagicrose, Fearfrost.**_

_This chapter was originally a lot longer, but I simply had to split it in half because of some dramatic effects and other narrative purposes. In theory, this should mean the next update will come faster but we'll see how school acts up!_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

"Stop the car."

The blond beauty threw her an inquisitive look that was laced with suspicion. _Having second thoughts?_

But Abby pointed ahead of them. "There's a magical barrier coming up. I can feel it."

Mikael chuckled. "Just like Niklaus to hide behind walls like a coward. But that's where you come in, Abigail."

_Stop saying my name_, she wanted to tell him. It made her stomach knot every single time it fell from his lips. It was probably nerves, or bitter nostalgia, or just the need to get some distance from him. She remembered this feeling, of being invaded by Mikael. He did that to you. And for some reason, you wanted him to.

They both got out of the car. Abby threw a counter-spell at the shield, just to test its prowess. _Strong_. A little too strong.

She stepped towards it cautiously and raised her hand until the magical vibrations reached out to her and almost touched her palm.

"Be careful," he warned, behind her.

"I was wrong. It's not just a barrier, it's a spell. A recognizance spell."

"You'll have to elaborate, darling."

"Powerful witches would cast it around their domain. Anyone who meant them harm would be denied entrance."

Mikael pursed his lips in displeasure. "Well, that shall be an inconvenience."

Abby bit her lip. "I – I don't really mean Klaus harm. I don't care about him. I just want to get my daughter out of there. I should go alone. I think I can pass."

She was suddenly chin to chin with Mikael. He had grabbed the side of her face and was staring into her eyes.

"We do this together. I won't be apart from you anymore."

Abby's gaze fell on the girl's silky corn hair. She almost wanted to stroke it. She thought she could see the young girl behind Mikael's possession. But her lover's cutting smile marred the illusion. She leaned into his touch almost against her will.

"How will you pass? You want to kill Klaus."

He leaned forward, until Rebekah's lips were grazing her ear.

"This is where my sweet daughter comes in. She is of a purer stock than me. I will vacate her body temporarily. You will drag her across this…barrier, and then I shall return."

Abby couldn't dissimulate her reluctance. "You…want me to carry your daughter's unconscious body until you come back to possess her again."

Mikael smirked. "When you put it that way…it does sound rather bad. But my darling, Niklaus is a threat not only to your daughter, but to _mine_ as well. Did you know he carried Bekah in a coffin for over a hundred years? Daggered and alone? She deserves revenge. _W e_ all deserve to be rid of such a beast."

Abby felt sick. She hadn't eaten in a while and she'd undergone a pretty significant amount of stress lately. Her magic was the only thing keeping her up right now.

She bent over to the side of the road and heaved.

When Mikael tried to caress her back, she pushed him away.

"I'll do it. I'll do it."

* * *

Bonnie was a terrible liar. It wasn't something she usually felt bad about. Her honesty used to be one of her best traits. But now, she wished she could spin some credible reason for why she was pacing up and down the front porch. Because she was.

She just couldn't stay inside anymore. She was giddy with excitement, and worried her mother wouldn't find the place.

It was Tony who found her biting her nails.

"Waiting on Dyaba, huh?"

_Bonnie, you idiot. Of course!_

She had almost forgotten about the wolf. She exhaled with relief. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm waiting for him to come back."

"That makes two of us. I've got good money on this bet."

Bonnie elbowed him and smiled. "You bet on me, right?"

The hybrid looked over his shoulder towards the parted door. "Between you and me…"

"Don't worry, you'll win," she said with a small grin. She could already picture Klaus' face when her mother showed up. He'd be pretty angry for a day or two, but he'd get over it. This…new Klaus, whoever he was, she felt that he could handle his temper better.

"How are you so sure, Bennett?"

"Oh, I just have a card up my sleeve," she replied, batting her eyelids playfully.

Tony smirked. "This I gotta hear. Let me guess, you snuck Dyaba some Scooby snacks before he left."

"I don't need to bribe magical wolves, Tony. They just naturally like me."

"Yeah, _they_ sure do."

Bonnie bit her lip. Tony seemed to be on a crusade to make her feel uncomfortable about Klaus. He was probably doing the same thing to his master. But she didn't want to think about that right now. Her mom was coming home!

Well, this wasn't _home_. But it was better than most places. It had kept her safe. It would do for now.

Her face must have given something away, because Tony suddenly stepped up and grabbed her arm gently, but firmly.

"Bennett?"

He was looking at her in that sinister way hybrids did, when their eyes turned half-amber.

"W-What?"

"What did you _do_?"

"Excuse me? Let go of me."

"You know, I felt it before when we were talking in the living room. That you were _lying_. You remember we have that ability, don't you?"

Bonnie tried to pry her hand away but he wasn't budging.

"Tony –"

"What did you _do_, Bonnie?"

"Seriously, you're acting crazy –"

"No, you said you have a card up your sleeve and now you're pacing the front porch. I have a duty towards Klaus."

"Let go or I use magic, Tony."

But that wasn't necessary. He released her instantly, because he saw movement across the clearing. Bonnie turned her head too. Her knees grew weak. She could recognize that head of hair anywhere.

_Mom!_

She was safe. She was here. She was walking towards her with a teary smile and open arms and –

Next to her, Bonnie recognized Rebekah Mikaelson.

In the first few moments, a dozen questions assailed her at the same time. What was _she_ doing here? Why was Klaus' sister walking beside her mom? She remembered Rebekah had been on Esther's side at the Ball. Had that changed? Had she left Esther? Was she here to find Klaus? Reunite?

But most of these questions were not enough to keep her still. Before Tony could stop her, she had run towards her mother. She needed to hug her and prove to herself that she was real, that this wasn't a cruel trick. The rest could wait.

Abby captured her in her arms and locked her in an iron grip.

"Bonnie!"

She buried her head in her mother's hair and whispered "I love you, I'm sorry, I love you" over and over again. She was not going to let a day pass without telling Abby how much she meant to her. After fifteen lonely years, she had recovered her mother, and she was not going to screw it up.

"I love you too, bear cub."

Her mother's lips brushed her ear. "I hope you also trust me now."

"I do."

"Okay. Then don't let go. Don't let go. Stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Good, good," her mother murmured into her hair.

Bonnie lifted her chin to look at her face, but Abby's smile was fractured. She was crying, and large tears were rolling down her cheeks. Something told her she wasn't weeping out of happiness.

"Mom, why –"

"You need to stay with me, okay?" Her voice sounded so broken that Bonnie's first instinct was to pull away from her hold. That's when she realized she couldn't move. Abby was restraining her.

_No_. Abby had immobilized her with magic.

Bonnie opened her mouth to ask her what was going on, but every word coming out was reduced to silence. She couldn't make a sound.

Bonnie yelled in her mother's face. It was like screaming from behind soundproof glass. She couldn't get anything across.

Abby cupped her daughter's head and buried it in the hollow of her neck.

"It'll be over soon, bear cub. He's a monster. He needs to die. But after that, you and I will be free, okay? We'll get to go home."

_No_! Bonnie screamed. _No! He's not a monster!_

Suddenly, she couldn't breathe; her throat was clogged up and her lungs felt like fire. Her heart was beating out of her chest and everything felt heightened. She was having a panic attack. She hadn't had one since tenth grade, but she was definitely having one now.

Because she _couldn't_ let this happen.

Klaus was not a monster – he was just _Klaus_. She had carried him on her shoulders. They had eaten pasta together. He was teaching her Aramaic. This was wrong. He was just a wolf. This was wrong.

_Please, Mom, please don't!_

She reached out for her magic to break the shields, but Abby had come prepared. It was an old spell that Bonnie had never encountered before. Certainly not in Grams' Grimoire.

And yet, she tried. She tried as _hard_ as she could, because she had to stop this.

She couldn't verbalize it too well, but there was a need inside of her to protect him, protect Klaus. Bonnie wouldn't admit it easily, but she'd always been a little too ready to defend the weak. Sometimes it did her more harm than good. Except, this wasn't the same. She wasn't defending the weak, she was defending _herself_. It didn't make sense, but if Klaus died, she'd never be able to look at herself in the mirror again. _Who_ would she be if she allowed this to happen?

The feeling only grew and built in her gut until it brewed into a storm that threatened to spill over.

Suddenly, she felt so powerful. She felt like howling. She could break down every wall, every fortress, every shield, in order to reach him.

"LET ME GO!"

Bonnie cried out so loud that her own ears popped. Her mother was flung aside by a powerful wave of magic, powerful enough that Abby was knocked down.

Bonnie gasped. Her mother lay on the ground, unconscious.

How was that possible? She didn't know. But she didn't have time to find out.

She turned around and started running towards the house. That's when she saw what had unfolded in her absence.

Rebekah Mikaelson was clutching a white-oak stake and she was moments away from using it on Klaus.

"NO!"

* * *

When he first heard the commotion, he thought Dyaba might have returned. That was odd. He usually felt something stronger than simple irritation when his wolf came back to him. But he was no longer a hybrid and he was learning new things about himself daily. Perhaps his senses were not as sharp, or did not run as deep as before. He wouldn't be surprised. It was only another bitter reality to get accustomed to. There were so many of those.

Yet, when his feet reached the landing, he realized, quite in a flash, that there was not going to be a wolf. In fact, there was going to be an argument, and perhaps a fight.

Klaus had the innate ability to sense danger from miles away, and while he would not allow himself to feel fear on his own territory, he couldn't help the grimace that settled on his lips. Whoever was outside, they could not pose a threat. The magical barrier had never failed him before.

Still, this was an inconvenience. And he had a few guesses as to who might be responsible.

_That stubborn little witch._

Bonnie Bennett, the girl who had uprooted him completely, it seemed. She would have to explain herself for this.

Klaus marched down to the front door, already building up a fine, simmering temper to go with the menacing pose. Whoever had decided to show up unannounced would be on the receiving end of his wrath.

"Anthony?"

His hybrid was already outside. And so was Bonnie. She had fled into someone's arms. Klaus felt a momentary pang of jealousy, strange and painful because he couldn't control it. When he realized it was her mother, he was instantly flooded with relief, which was quickly followed by pain again. Abby Bennett was holding her daughter tight and it looked as if he wouldn't let her go any time soon. Klaus knew very well what this meant. The woman intended to take her away from him.

_Take her away from me. Nonsense. She's not mine. She can't be. _

"Nik?"

In a moment, everything around him seemed to vanish and lose contour. He couldn't see Bonnie, or Abby, or even Anthony anymore. They were gone. The only thing he _could_ see was his sister. His beautiful sister, standing in front of him, as if recent events had not occurred.

"Rebekah."

"I…I hoped I'd find you." Her voice was filled with raw emotion. She had always been an open book to him, and he had prided himself on his ability to read her. He couldn't read her now.

Klaus climbed down the front steps, but he kept at a considerable distance from her. His sister was known to be volatile. It ran in the family.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, although his words did not have as much grit as he would've liked. "You're supposed to be with _Mother_, aren't you?"

Rebekah looked down in disgrace. "I had to leave, Nik. I couldn't stand it anymore. She's ...she's gone mad. She's not our mother anymore."

"She never was mine," he replied evenly.

Rebekah pushed some stray locks out of her face. "I have nowhere else to go. I thought – I thought I'd try and stay with you. You're the only one who's safe from her."

"Am I? _You_ found me. How did you manage that, _Sister_?"

She looked at him with eyes that were brimming with unshed tears.

"I followed Abby. I knew she'd lead me to you. She was looking for Bonnie."

Klaus looked over her shoulder to where mother and daughter were still locked in a warm embrace. He pursed his lips. The little witch would need to make amends for this breach of trust.

_Fool. She owed you no trust. No one does. Not even your hybrids._

"How do I know you're not here on dear Esther's behalf?"

Rebekah stared at him. "Are you _joking_? Nik, I crossed your stupid barrier! I don't want to hurt you, I just want to stay here! We're still bloody family, aren't we?"

Klaus glanced at Tony. He was standing by the side, fists clenched, one foot in front of the other. An attack position. But he was hesitant. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. His eyes met Klaus'. "Boss?" he seemed to ask. "What do we do?"

Rebekah chuckled bitterly. "You owe me that much, Nik. After the hell you put me through. You owe me a roof. I'm not expecting a _brotherly_ welcome. Just some goddamn decency."

The accusation stung and he was not strong enough, in this instance, to hide his discomfort. He gritted his teeth and took one step towards her.

"I never meant –"

"To hurt me? I know. It still doesn't change the past. But – I'm willing to put it aside, if you are. At least for a few days."

She held out her hand to him. "What do you say, Brother?"

Klaus wanted to reject her. He wanted to throw this beseeching request in her face, not because she deserved it, but because he couldn't forgive himself for what he had done to her. He didn't _want_ to forgive himself. He'd had good reasons for keeping Rebekah asleep. He had protected her from herself.

_But_.

But recently he had been having doubts about her. About everything. Had he protected her, after all, or had he made it worse? Such thoughts never used to plague him when he was indestructible. Who _else_ but the most powerful creature alive could keep his family safe?

Yet, when you are reduced to your basic form, the animal, you give up thinking that you are in control, in charge.

Klaus raised his hand towards her. He caught it too late, the flash of something white in her right hand.

He heard a scream, coming from afar.

"NO!"

In the next moment, he lost his footing. He was nearly knocked down by a powerful gale which seemed to render the world flat.

No, this was no wind.

By the time he'd restored his composure, Bonnie Bennett was running towards him. She collided into him and grabbed the front of his shirt with almost inhuman urgency.

"Klaus! Are you all right?"

"Bonnie, what –"

"She was going to kill you!"

Yes. Yes, he knew that. It had happened a second ago, yet his mind refused to grasp it. His sister had wielded a white-oak stake and she had been ready to plunge it in his heart. There had been bloody feuds in the past and tear-stained arguments between them, but nothing like this. Nothing so cold and callous. Even when he had daggered her, he had felt like hell. But this girl had not even flinched.

Rebekah was getting up. She still held the stake between her fingers.

"Stay away from him!" Tony roared, launching himself at her with mad courage, but his sister only lifted her hand and bent her wrist and next thing he knew, the hybrid was writhing on the ground, holding his head between his hands.

She smiled as he howled and screamed in pain.

"Stop it!" Klaus demanded, too gutted and shocked to say anything else. To ask _why_. "Stop it!"

Rebekah turned to him and flicked her wrist lazily. The writhing stopped. Anthony lay on the ground, without moving. Klaus could sense he was alive, yet weakened.

Bonnie was still holding onto him, but her eyes were glued to Tony's fallen form. She wanted to go to him, but something was keeping her at Klaus' side.

He blinked, confounded. Was she trying to protect him? She had just saved his life. Why had she done it?

"Stand aside, Bonnie Bennett. You are not part of this and you need not be. Return to your mother and leave Niklaus to me," Rebekah drawled, pacing back and forth like a predator stalking its prey.

He did not recognize his sister. She was transformed. The angelic features had never matched her personality, it was true, but she had never acted so savage in all her immortal life.

"You will not harm him or me," Bonnie replied with steel resolve.

"I don't _want_ to harm you, Bonnie. You are a good girl. An honest witch, if there ever was one. But I _need_ you to move out of the way. It's in your best interest."

Klaus snapped out of his shock. His sister had come to kill him, it seemed, but she had crossed a dangerous line. His expression turned murderous.

"You do _not_ threaten her. Your battle is with me. Put the stake down and face me like a goddamn Mikaelson!"

"I would, if you stopped hiding behind your little henchmen. I mean honestly, Niklaus, the hybrids, the witches? How many guards do you need?"

Klaus' blood froze in his veins. He knew that tone, those words. This was not his sister, after all. It wasn't her talking. It couldn't be.

"Are you so afraid to face me, bastard?" Rebekah teased with an unmistakable glint in her eye.

Klaus seized Bonnie by the arm. "Get back inside the house. Now."

"What? No! I'm not leaving you!"

He gripped her shoulders hard and brought her face close to his. He needed her to understand the gravity of his request. "_Bonnie_. You will go back inside."

"I said I'm not going!"

"_Please_, you can't be here."

Her eyes widened for a fraction, but she did not move an inch.

"I'm staying with you."

"You _cannot_. You cannot fight Mikael."

She scrunched up her face in confusion. "What? But he's –"

"Dead?" Rebekah interposed gleefully. "Why yes, in a sense I am. But the Other Side is such a flexible place for a person like me. Especially if you have the Spirits on your side. Hello, Bonnie."

Bonnie's face was awash with dread as she stared back at the girl who was actually not a girl.

"You…you…"

"One last time, my dear. You are free to go to your mother. I wish you no harm. I will even step aside and let you pass."

Klaus realized what Mikael was doing. He was not just addressing Bonnie. He was talking to him. Telling him exactly what was at stake. He knew Klaus had no choice but to agree._ Clever prick._

"You must listen to him, Bonnie. You have to get out of here," he spoke with a mouth full of bitterness. But his heart was determined she would not be a part of this.

"Are you serious?! I said I'm not leaving you!"

"This is not your choice to make!" he bellowed.

"Yes, it is! He doesn't scare me!"

"Oh, you should be scared, my dear," Rebekah spoke airily, as if this were nothing more than a friendly conversation. "And I don't say this often, but my abomination of a son is right. Get out of the way before it's too late."

Bonnie's eyes narrowed. She raised her chin defiantly. Klaus knew that look well. _Damn it, stubborn little witch._

"I SAID I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!"

Klaus was stunned by the force of her cry. Before he could grasp what was happening, a ring of fire broke all around them. It rose like a bright orange shield between them and Mikael. Bonnie and he were surrounded by flames.

The witch looked just as astonished as he did. She had not foreseen the fire. Her body staggered from the sudden magical outburst, and he quickly put his arm around her waist to keep her standing. She leaned into him, violently shaken, staring at the flames in awe.

"Well, isn't this rather touching," Mikael mocked with spite, although he made sure to keep his distance from the fire. "Star-crossed lovers, is it? I should have known a Bennett witch would betray her kind for a Mikaelson. There is a precedent, after all."

"Except," he drawled, "Klaus _isn't_ a Mikaelson. So what you are holding onto, my dear, is nothing but a beast, a mongrel who doesn't deserve to live."

Klaus did not mind the words. They were nothing he had not heard before, time and again. With her at his side, they did not even hurt. He stared at the witch he now held in his arms. She was small, but fiercer and stronger than all his hybrids. And she was holding onto him with a resolve that made it hard for him to let her go. But he needed to get her out of there. He couldn't allow her to suffer at his expense.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked without thinking. He should have said,_ Go, leave me, please, for your sake._

Bonnie struggled to form the words. She was just as overwhelmed as he was. But finally, she seemed to arrive at a decision.

"Because I want to."

She turned around and fashioned her hand into a claw. The ring of fire rose and coiled, diving towards Mikael like a great, leaping snake.

Rebekah raised her arms in defense, but the fire was hard to contain. It licked at her feet and boiled her skin. The girl howled.

"IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?" Mikael cried. "To kill your beloved sister? Kill me and you kill her too! Do it, Niklaus! Show us the monster!"

Bonnie's hand wavered. She looked at Klaus in a panic. His face contorted in pain. This had been Mikael's plan all along. He had chosen a body he knew he couldn't kill. Someone whose death would haunt him for all eternity.

"Klaus?"

She already knew what his answer would be.

Bonnie lowered her hand. She couldn't do it either. The fire grew small, but the ring did not vanish.

Rebekah wiped the sweat off her forehead with a sinister smile. "It seems I was right. You can't _bear_ to lose even the people who hate you. Foolish boy."

"Shut your mouth," Bonnie snapped, shaking with rage. "You are the monster."

_"Me?"_ Mikael retorted with injured righteousness. "I am trying to rid the world of one!"

"No," she shot back, "no, you are the monster and the beast and – and the _abomination_. And the world would be better off with you!"

Klaus had lived for a thousand years, but he had never heard those words directed at anyone but him. Who else had been spawned from sin and power and madness? No one. Just him. And yet, the witch was throwing back the insults into his father's face. And it was bloody liberating.

"Careful, girl. You are testing my _patience_. If it were not for the affection I bear your mother –"

"That's enough, Mikael! You will not speak in my name."

Abby Bennett was marching towards Rebekah with a lethal scowl. She had recovered her senses, it seemed. Klaus glared at her, all the same. He would never trust this woman again.

"Abigail –" Mikael started.

"This was a mistake and it ends here and _now_. I will not allow you to make things worse."

Rebekah's expression turned dark and stormy. "We had an arrangement! Klaus is too dangerous for your daughter, for my family –"

"He might be all those things, but he's connected to Bonnie now."

"The girl is only infatuated, it will pass!"

"No, you fool! The ring of fire, the elevated powers. I know this magic. They are bound. My daughter is bound to Klaus."

* * *

_A/N: The storm's not over yet. See you next chapter!_


	21. the power

_A/N: A fast update! Just like old times, haha. I don't think it will last, but let's enjoy the good times for now. Once again, I was really floored by your immediate response to the last chapter, thank you! (have to say, some of you even made me tear up because I am a huge crybaby, but you mean a lot to me, so I can afford to be emotional) We're so close to 400 reviews, I am so scared and excited!_

_Thanks to** Malory Archer**, **PracticallyCharmed, ZOEYSEES, Chavonne13, Gabby** (Thanks, the Klonnie fire moment was such a satisfactory scene to write, I've had it in my head for ages! Also, you already have some information about the bond in chapter 10, when Esther talks about it - she and Finn are the first to discover it), **cice527, Babaksmiles, negrobarc, DancesWithButterflies, freckled98,** **Izzie Jackson**, **Lady Maurelle**, **Guest1** (yes, the truth is out! and here's an update!), **TheOneTrueBear, Guest2** (haha, good pun! yes, well, mothers sometimes do crazy things in the name of love, don't they?), **LeilaniStar, Anastasia-G** (thank you so much for your liveblogging, you are lovely!), **thefudge is grumpy** (likewise, I really really appreciate your liveblogging, and you are wonderful!), **TheDreamer17, eva505, lalororo5, Guest3** (aww, mine is happy too, thank you!), **BlueLilyInDarkness, bellavida0213, bluemagicrose, poppins29.**_

_This chapter is another one that I've had in my mind since the inception of this story, and I hope it pays off! For those who need to refresh their memory, Klaus and Bonnie's bond is first addressed in chapter 10 (the bond), when Finn and Esther first discover it (Finn tells Esther he overheard Bonnie telling Klaus his blood had not left her system). The difference now is, Abby, Bonnie and Klaus are officially in the know-how too._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie felt the pressure right under her ribs. Klaus' grip had tightened. His fingers were digging into her skin. She hadn't realized he still had one arm secured around her waist. Everything had happened so fast that, the body next to hers had stopped feeling foreign.

Now she wanted to pull back, but she didn't know how. So far, it had been easy. Keep them safe, keep Mikael away. Stay together. But Abby's words had broken through that front. Her mother's words were now embedded in her brain and they changed everything.

_They are bound. My daughter is bound to Klaus._

She lifted her eyes to his, knowing she looked frightened, knowing she looked like she wanted to bolt. Yet she hadn't. She hadn't bolted.

The Original stared back, but his gaze was undecipherable. Whatever he was feeling, whatever he was thinking, his face betrayed nothing.

But his grip was tight. She wondered if, right at that moment, he was thinking of how this bond could serve him.

_No, he's…not like that anymore. Is he?_

And then, just like that, he released her.

Bonnie exhaled sharply, feeling the loss of warmth. She took a step back. The circle widened, and the flames dwindled.

"How in God's name are they _bound_?" Mikael cried back in anger.

"That's what I'd like to know, but we won't find out unless you stop this nonsense right away!" Abby hollered, stepping in front of Rebekah with enough authority to make her halt.

_**We** won't find out. _

Bonnie realized, in a stupor, that they were here together. This had all been planned. Her mother had agreed to this.

_How could you?_

Her heart felt like breaking, but for all that, it still kept beating. She couldn't look her mother in the face. She had brought Mikael here.

"My darling, I won't stop you from rescuing your daughter, but let me have Niklaus!" Mikael bellowed, trying to take hold of her arm, but Abby jerked away.

Klaus, however, had had enough of their familiarity. His gaze was no longer hard to decipher. He was _seething._

"What is this, Abby _Bennett_? Are you colluding with my sycophant father? Is this the extent of your cowardice? Answer me!" he demanded, eyes filled with wrath.

"Oh, you silly boy," Mikael hooted. "You always find out last, don't you? I'm sure even Bonnie knows her mother and I are old friends. Sweethearts even. No, perhaps the better word for that is lovers."

"Shut up, Mikael!" Abby snapped.

Bonnie could feel Klaus' eyes on her. "Did you know…?"

She felt her throat tighten. Her mouth tasted like ash. "I – I didn't know about _this_."

His jaw clenched and his body turned away from her. Bonnie couldn't believe it. He was shunning her. _I'm on your side!_

In that instant, she felt the urge to walk away from him and never look back, because she'd be damned if she was blamed for _any_ of this. But the need to see him alive was stronger. And maybe this was the bond, maybe it was something else, but what she _really_ wanted was to turn back the time and sit in that living room with him, and try to learn a beautiful language. All of this would be a bad dream.

"My, my, trouble in paradise," Mikael clucked. "But I'm probably saving you the trouble. Let's face it, Niklaus, she will never care for you as you desire. Let her go and face me like a man."

Before Bonnie or Abby could stop him, Klaus had leaped through the flames and launched himself at Rebekah.

Mikael laughed a sinister laugh as his son pummeled him to the ground.

"That's – it – you wretched – bastard!"

"I may not be able to kill you!" Klaus roared. "But I can make you suffer!"

Bonnie gasped when the Original lifted up his sister and squeezed her throat. Rebekah's feet were dangling above ground. Her face was turning blue, but she was still cackling.

Bonnie saw a quick flash of white. Mikael had thrown the white stake at Abby's feet.

"Do it, darling! Do - it for - us! For your - daughter! Now!" he gasped, wheezing.

Her mother picked up the stake with shaking fingers.

"Don't you dare, _Abby_!" Bonnie warned her mother, lifting a hand towards her in an unmistakable fighting stance. She had never thought she'd find herself in this position, had never imagined she would raise her hand against her own mother, but Abby had betrayed her, and Klaus hadn't. Not yet.

An expression of utmost pain flickered across Abby's face.

"Abigail – my heart – don't you – love me?" Mikael sputtered, struggling against Klaus' iron grip. Werewolves were not as fast, not as strong as vampire and hybrids, but they could still rip your throat in a matter of moments. Bonnie shuddered at the thought.

Abby walked up to the former Original Hybrid. Klaus' shoulders were tense. He was a wolf, lying in wait. Bonnie could see it. He would try to attack Abby too.

_What the hell do I do? Oh, God, what do I do? Grams, please tell me what to do!_

"I do love you," her mother spoke softly, looking into Rebekah's eyes. "But I love my daughter more."

She dropped the white-oak stake and planted her hands on each side of Rebekah's face.

"My love - no - NO, WHAT – ARE YOU – DOING?" Mikael screamed.

"Something I should've done sooner! You can drop your sister, Klaus!" Abby shouted, fingers digging deep into Rebekah's scalp.

The Original staggered back in a trance, staring in revulsion at the hand which had almost strangled his kin.

Mikael dropped to the ground like dead weight, but Abby held onto him with as much resolve as his son had, moments earlier. She muttered hasty, desperate words in Latin, trying to make him stay put long enough to banish him from Rebekah's head.

"You – cannot – _ABIGAIL_!" he roared in horror. "I – AM HERE – FOREVER!"

Abby felt her powers waning. It had been a long night and an even longer day. She knew she couldn't banish him back to the spirit world. The asshole was right. She looked around aghast.

"I – I need another vessel, a receptacle. Something to contain him! Fast!"

Bonnie and Klaus exchanged a panicked look. Neither could accept such a cruel fate, but they had no choice, it seemed. One of them had to step forward. Abby wouldn't let her daughter do this, so it fell to Klaus, but Bonnie couldn't allow that either -

"I'll do it."

A battered, but stubborn Tony was stumbling towards her mother. He had recovered from Rebekah's aneurysms and was determined to still play a part in this fight. His face was a mask of grim determination.

"Anthony, no! I _forbid_ you!" Klaus thundered.

Tony half-grinned, half-sobbed. "I failed you tonight, boss. Won't fail you again."

"You didn't fail me!"

"It's _my_ choice," he spoke solemnly. Bonnie had never seen this side of him.

"Mom, don't let him do it!" she urged, but Abigail was a practical woman. She saw the opportunity before her, and she would not throw it away. Between her daughter and Klaus' hybrid, she would choose the right person, for once.

"You're very brave," she commended him. "Lie down next to Mikael. Quickly."

Tony didn't have to be told twice. He sat down with the utmost calm, even though his lips were trembling.

Abby placed a hand on his forehead. "I can't promise it won't hurt."

"Do what you have to do," Tony said, smiling his brightest smile.

* * *

Klaus paced the hallway up and down aimlessly. He was not impatient, for once. He was willing to wait. It did not matter if he had to walk the same floorboards for a year or a century. Anthony _had_ to wake up, eventually. There could be no world in which his most loyal and _cherished_ hybrid did not survive this. Perhaps he had never been fair, never been truly kind and _good_ to him. But he had always valued Anthony and he had let him know, in his own way.

_But does he know?_ Klaus wondered, wracked with doubt. After all, part of Tony would always feel compelled to answer his sire. This had never bothered him so much before. But now that he might never wake up –

_No! He will. I need him to wake up. I __**command**__ him to wake up. He must._

He turned his head sharply when he heard the door open. Abby stepped out quietly.

"He's asleep," she started when she saw Klaus' expression. "He's fine, for now."

"Fine? _Fine_?!" he hissed, eyes ablaze.

"You'll wake him if you shout! Let's go downstairs."

"You don't tell me what to do –"

"No, I don't, and you're allowed to hate me as much as you want, but I want that boy to recover too. It's a life on _my_ hands."

"Oh, how charming, you feel guilt. A little too late, _Abigail_."

Abby glared at him. "Don't you dare judge me."

"I dare, seeing as you would risk your own daughter's life."

"I _never_ -!" but she stopped mid-sentence and let her shoulders sink. She breathed hard through her nostrils. Klaus would've liked to see her lose control completely, just so she could wallow in her own shame, but he had more important things to consider.

"When he wakes up, he will still have Mikael inside of him, won't he?" he asked coldly.

Abby looked away. "Yes."

"I should kill you for this."

"You can kill me _after_ I've fixed things. Listen to me. Tony's got Mikael inside of him now, that's true. But it's not the same thing. Rebekah accepted your father willingly. He managed to convince her to say yes to his control. He has that effect on the people who love him. Tony can fight this. Yes, it will be hard as hell, but he's got a chance. He can say no, he can push it away."

Klaus ground his teeth in frustration. "Empty words, witch. Tell me you can remove Mikael _completely_."

Abby bit her lip, lowering her eyes. "I want to, but he was sent here from the Other Side. Movement between our two worlds is dangerous and sometimes fatal. Tony might –"

Klaus wanted to rip her to shreds, but he managed to control himself.

"You've _cursed_ my hybrid."

"I will fix it."

"_How_?"

"I will find a way!"

They stood in the middle of the hall, glaring at each other, storing their hatred, counting their losses.

Abby sighed. "You'll be happy to know, at least, your sister is safe. She's resting up, but she'll wake up tomorrow, as good as new. The marks on her neck will heal."

"_Don't_ remind me," he warned her darkly.

"I'm _just_ trying to help you, for once."

"Don't make me laugh."

"We need to talk about the other thing too," she reminded him.

"_No_. What I need is for you to leave this house and never return."

Abby folded her arms. "I thought someone like you would be curious to know more about magical bonds."

"Someone like me," he spat with rancor.

But she was right. _Why_ wasn't he more curious? The night's events had taken their toll on his thoughts, and yet – yet, the old Klaus would have snatched at this opportunity without missing a beat. What had _happened_ to him that the idea of exercising control was no longer appealing to him?

He had heard of magical bonds before, though, in his long life, he had never experienced one. And now, a Bennett witch was bonded to him. He should have reveled in the power of such an enticing connection. He should have claimed her as his now, for good.

"Can you at least tell me how it started? This bond?" she asked wearily.

Klaus thought back to a time before he had been stripped of his powers, a time when his empire was thriving. He had told Tyler to bite his little girlfriend. A simple command like that had led him to Bonnie Bennett.

"I fed her my blood."

"You did _what_ -?!" Abby blurted in shock. "When did this happen?"

But Klaus wasn't listening to her anymore. He was torn by a searing doubt, the same doubt that he felt when he thought about Tony.

Had all of this been part of the bond? Had his and Bonnie's days together here only been a mirage? Had they been nice to each other, civil even, because they were already magically connected?

_She will never care for you as you desire. _Mikael's words rang as bitterly true as ever.

He would never know if Tony or Bonnie truly –

It didn't matter. He wasn't eager to find out, one way or another. Bonnie had gone over his wishes. She had brought Abby here, against his will. He could not forgive her entirely for that.

"Klaus!" Abby snapped. "You need to tell me everything about you and Bonnie. Now."

"Very well," he retorted. "Let's find your daughter. See if you can face her."

* * *

Bonnie downed her second glass of Vermouth. The alcohol was spicy on her tongue, and she liked it that way. She would've liked it even better if it put her to sleep. But this nightmare wasn't going away, even when she closed her eyes.

Maybe she was just chronically unlucky. Maybe a family had never been meant for her.

She missed her Grams so much. Grams had never disappointed her, never betrayed her, never made her question her loyalties.

She was halfway through a third glass when she heard footsteps behind her.

Klaus and Abby had entered the kitchen. Both of them eyed the glass in her hand.

She swallowed bitterly. "Is Tony awake?"

"No, bear cub –"

"_Don't_ call me that," Bonnie cut her off coolly.

"I understand. I deserve that."

"No, you don't understand. If you had, you would've never brought Mikael here."

"I never meant -"

"But you did. You trusted a raging psychopath over me."

Bonnie didn't know if the words belonged to her anymore, but she had to say them, for her sake and Klaus'. Neither of them had deserved this. She looked to him for confirmation, but the Original simply walked to the bar and poured himself a drink.

Bonnie's shoulders sagged. _Great_. _He's still in a mood._

"I know nothing I can say will make you…reconsider your opinion of me, at the moment," her mother murmured. "But I meant what I said to Mikael. I choose you, Bonnie. Every time."

Klaus looked up sharply at Abby's words. He seemed to be wrestling with some inner demons. Bonnie couldn't tell if it was Mikael's shadow or something else. But she couldn't let it affect her. She couldn't let her mother affect her, either. She had to stay strong and refuse whatever comfort Abby wanted to offer.

Bonnie lowered her eyes into her drink. "What do you want?"

Her mother exhaled. "I just want – well, there will be time for explanations later, but I need to know that you are safe. I _need_ to know about the bond."

"Well, we – _I _didn't know it was a bond."

"But you both suspected something was wrong, didn't you?"

Bonnie had dreaded this moment. She had never wanted Abby to find out about vision-Klaus or the blood that was still in her system. Talking about it made it tangible, and while she could live with it in this house in the middle of nowhere, she couldn't deal with it outside this safe space.

_Well, no longer safe thanks to you, Mom._

But she started talking, because Klaus was saying nothing. She told Abby everything. She told her about Tyler and the night he had tried to bite Caroline. She told her how she had intervened just in time, but had gotten bitten instead. How hybrid bites proved fatal for any supernatural being. How Klaus had fed her his blood to save her. How she had started seeing him everywhere, popping up in random places, whenever her mind drifted to him. How his blood – his hybrid blood – was still inside her, because vision-Klaus was never far away.

She poured it all out in a semi-coherent mess. She was a bit tipsy from the Vermouth, but still lucid enough to see her mother's face grow increasingly wrinkled with worry.

"So…your bond started properly when you drank his blood," Abby mused. "Yet, that was only the trigger. Something must have happened _before_ that to initiate this magical connection."

Bonnie scoffed. "Before? You mean the dozen times we tried to kill each other?"

Klaus frowned and set his glass down with a loud crack. "Actually, that might be _exactly_ it."

Abby groaned. "He's right. A magical confrontation of that scale would have a set up some kind of link. But you must have really wanted to kill each other."

Bonnie and Klaus exchanged a weighted look.

"Yeah, we did," she murmured, glancing elsewhere.

Abby pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is bad. I mean, it's not terrible. But it's not ideal."

"Oh, you think?" Bonnie retorted.

"At least – at least you are both safe, at the moment."

"Is that why you stopped Mikael? Because hurting Klaus would have hurt me too?"

"Yes and no. You two…if you are truly bonded, and I think you are… you will always feel the need to protect each other. And sometimes yes, the welfare of one will depend on the other. Magical bonds are rare and hard to explain or study. Little has been written about them. Most bonds occur between a witch and another supernatural. I don't know if they can be broken, but they _are_ powerful."

Bonnie felt overwhelmed. She gulped down the Vermouth thirstily. She remembered that first night at the safe house, when she had faced werewolf Klaus and he had reached out to her through the haze of raw instinct. She had no idea how to deal with this. _Funny_, she had expected Klaus to be over the moon. Didn't he crave possession and control? Yes, he had shown a gentler side recently, but she knew that deep down, he still wanted to return to his former glory.

Well, he'd had a taste of it now. Why wasn't he savoring it?

Instead, he looked downright miserable.

"I think I can contact some witches to feed me more information about magical bonds, I may be able to help you further –"

"_No_," Klaus intervened with a voice that could cut through steel. "You are only standing under this roof right now because I am showing _great_ benevolence. You shall _not_ bring any more strife in this house."

Abby winced. "_Fine_. Then I'll seek them out on my own. But I have to help somehow. I have to repair the damage I've done."

Bonnie's heart lurched. Abby was leaving again. _Of course._ It shouldn't have hurt so much. She had just got her mother back. She wanted to tell her to stay, she wanted to tell her to forget about fixing the past or the future, and just try and fix this _one_ bond – the bond between mother and daughter.

But she stayed quiet. Because Abby had brought Mikael here, and now Tony was suffering.

"I'm still going to stay a few days and look after Tony and Rebekah. Even if you don't like it."

Klaus scowled. "I don't have a _choice_, do I?"

Abby grimaced. "I'll sleep in the car."

"Good. I was not about to invite you to sleep under my roof."

"Klaus –" Bonnie started, unable to help herself. This was still her mother.

"It's fine, Bonnie. I'll be more comfortable this way," she said, smiling at her daughter with all the maternal love she could humanly muster.

But the Bennetts were witches, not entirely human. And love was a steep price.

* * *

Abby was grateful that Bonnie walked her to the door. A small gesture perhaps, but Abby had learned to take whatever she could. She knew that her daughter was hurting and there was absolutely nothing she could do to alleviate that pain at the moment, but she _could_ give her the truth. She could give her some leverage, some kind of power in her current predicament. A witch hardly ever benefited where a magical bond was involved.

"Before you go back inside, I'd like to talk to you about something, bear cu – I'm sorry, I know you said not to call you that now."

"We can talk tomorrow," Bonnie replied morosely. "Unless you plan on leaving _right away_."

That had stung, but it was almost a blessing at this point. Her daughter _didn't_ want her to leave. That was a start.

"This can't wait."

"Why not?"

"It's - I suppose it's urgent. And it has to be private. Tomorrow might not afford a lot of privacy."

Bonnie mulled over her words for some time before she reluctantly nodded her head. Abby felt blessed relief again. The doors hadn't completely shut for the two of them.

"Tell me," she began, "do you know how hybrids are made?"

Bonnie frowned. "What?"

"Do you know how hybrids are made?"

"Why?"

"Humor me."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. "Uh, Klaus would feed a werewolf his blood, kill him, then add some doppelganger blood and _voila._ Is this what you want to talk about right now? Because he's no longer a hybrid."

"No, listen to me. What do you really need to make a hybrid?"

Bonnie was getting impatient. "I don't know, a lot of _blood_ I'm gathering."

"No, Bonnie, there are two conditions. First, you need to be a hybrid in order to make one. Second, you need _three_ magical roots. In Klaus' case, he made hybrids using the werewolf root, the vampire root and the doppelganger root. Three components."

Bonnie frowned. "What's your point?"

Abby looked into her daughter's eyes and took the plunge.

"You have three roots inside of you, Bonnie. Before the bond, you only had the witch root. But now, you also have the hybrid blood Klaus fed you. You said it's still in your system. His blood has two roots. Vampiric and lupine."

Bonnie took a step back. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, you have all the ingredients inside of you, Bonnie. You can _make_ hybrids. All on your own."

"N-no, you're wrong, I can't –" Bonnie staggered back in horror.

Abby gripped her shoulders tight. "Yes, you can. Thanks to your bond with Klaus, you're now the most powerful hybrid alive."

* * *

_A/N: Dun, dun dun, role-reversal! So, because Bonnie still has Klaus' blood in her system, and she's a witch to boot, she has all the elements to make her own hybrids! But what will she do with this information, and this power? Find out next time!_


	22. the choice

_A/N: Another relatively fast update! And we're now over 400 reviews, which means I am freaking out! I can't thank you enough for all your reviews and support, I still get overwhelmed by the love. _

_Thanks to **PracticallyCharmed, Silent-Reader-220, cice527, TheHedgeRider, poppins29, DancesWithButterflies, MaloryArcher, lalororo5, Gabby** (Thanks! I'm glad the story is keeping you on the edge of your seat, and you'll find some answers this chapter!), **Guest** (yes, he does feel a bit betrayed, but Bonnie will try to work it out with him, you'll see!)**, Ce **(ah, bless you!)**, But1stBetterIfYouDo, Anastasia-G **(thank you for liveblogging!)**, Narutofangirl45, negrobarc, Bennettore **(thanks! I'm so glad the twist came out all right, I've been working on it for ages)**, Lady Maurelle, Babaksmiles, thefudge is grumpy** (thanks so much for liveblogging!)**, MauvaiseFille, Izzie Jackson, LeilaniStar, wonderinthru** (oh wow, thank you, I'm so glad you stumbled upon my fic! I'm looking forward to their kissing too haha),** freckled98, bluemagicrose, eva 505. **_

_This chapter was definitely on the emotional side, and the very last part is my favorite. _

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie watched Tony's sleeping face with a false sense of calm. Inside, she was near bursting. But looking after the hybrid made it easier to control her emotions. And, she was glad to be able to spend time with him, even if he was unconscious.

Sleep was not going to come any time soon anyway. She sat in a chair by the side of his bed and drummed her fingers against the armrest anxiously, the only indication that she was _barely_ holding it together. What if he woke up and found her a twitching mess?

She could've really used Tony's glib remarks and sarcastic one-liners, though. Despite his humorous take on pretty much everything, he had a surprisingly lucid view of life. And life was currently _insane_.

Who was there to give her advice, instead?

"You look worse for wear, love."

Bonnie gritted her teeth. This _really_ wasn't a good time, knowing what she knew now.

Vision-Klaus had taken the chair on the other side of the bed and was watching her intently. For all purposes, he looked as he usually did; _smug._

She was beginning to tell them apart. Real Klaus was more...human, if that made sense. Vision-Klaus was an annoying know-it-all, designed to torment her.

"I take offense to that, since I recall being of actual help in the past," he remarked, smiling idly. "Besides, it's your own fault if you enjoy tormenting yourself."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. Whatever she could think to say, he already knew. So what was the point? She folded her arms placidly and stayed quiet.

"I know how you feel. Well, _of course_ I do. I am but a cruel reminder of your current_...condition?_ Can we call it that?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"You can shut up and not call it anything," she muttered, choosing to focus on Tony instead. A deep line severed his forehead in half. She had no idea what battle raged inside of him, but she could hazard a guess. Mikael would not go down easily.

"Well, you're right, we can't say for sure what it is until you try it out."

Bonnie looked up sharply. "Excuse me?"

"After you've created your first hybrid, denominations should come easier."

She couldn't believe him. These could _not_ be her thoughts. She would never be so callous at a time like this.

"Get out," she spat.

Vision-Klaus hummed appreciatively. "Already you are acting more assertive."

"I said get out."

"You are in shock. You can't quite grasp the truth of it yet. But soon, you'll wish to see for yourself, Bonnie. You've always needed _proof_. Don't deny it."

Bonnie felt bile rise up in her throat. She pushed it down with great difficulty. She almost _felt_ it, the alien power that could kill and sire, crawling inside of her. It moved around like a pestilent shadow, polluting her cells, clogging her arteries - becoming her own blood. She clenched her fingers painfully. She had lived with it for weeks now, and she had not even realized. She didn't need proof. She needed cleansing.

"All you need is a willing supernatural with a single root. Preferably a werewolf. Do you know any?" he asked lightly.

Bonnie was going to kill him, she didn't care if it was all in her head.

"No."

"I think you do. You're just afraid."

She rose from her chair abruptly. Her heart was pounding, and she was ready to give herself an aneurysm, just to get rid of him. Luckily, Tony was still there, sleeping peacefully between them, and she didn't want to disturb him.

She sat down again with barely restrained fury.

"Yes, I might resent you at first, but I would be eternally in your debt afterwards," he spoke, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"You're sick and twisted. I would never - I would never do that to Klaus."

Vision-Klaus smirked, but his eyes held no humor. "Why not? You would be doing me a favor, restoring me to my desired state."

"No. I could never do that," she insisted, shaking her head adamantly.

"Why not?"

"I thought you knew the answer to all my thoughts," she snapped spitefully.

"I do."

Vision-Klaus was no longer smirking. In fact, the corners of his mouth were drawn down and a curious frown had replaced his mirth. Suddenly, he was getting up and walking towards her. Bonnie stiffened in her chair.

"What are you doing?"

He stopped right in front of her and crouched down, until his eyes were level with her own. He reached out and took hold of one of her hands. He held it in his grasp for several moments. Bonnie couldn't move. She had been close to Vision-Klaus before. Many times, in fact. But this was different, and she couldn't figure out why.

His gaze was soft and steady. His face was open, almost vulnerable. She looked a lot like - Klaus himself, in one of his better moments.

"I am sorry. I miscalculated," he spoke gently, without a hint of sarcasm.

"What?"

"Your fears. I see them clearly now. You don't want to turn me back into a hybrid."

Bonnie was nonplussed. "Yes, I already told you that."

His thumb drew slow circles in the center of her palm. His touch was hypnotic. Bonnie wanted to pull her hand away, but Vision-Klaus was not letting go.

"Yet you are not afraid I will grow more ruthless and cruel if you do. You are afraid you will hurt me."

Bonnie opened her mouth, but she was unable to reply. The only thing she could do was gape at him and hope that her silence was not confirmation of his words.

"You're afraid that it won't work. You will try to turn me, and I will die. That is what you fear."

Before she had time to properly react to that, he bent down and pressed his lips to her palm. A scalding warmth traveled from Bonnie's hand to her chest. For a moment, she doubted she could breathe.

She didn't know how she found her voice, but when she finally spoke, she sounded like she'd run a marathon.

"Why are you acting like this?"

Vision-Klaus smiled a rueful smile. "Because this is how you see me now."

Bonnie shook her head. "See you how?"

"As someone you care for, someone you cannot bear to harm."

She jumped out of the chair and removed herself from his grasp. "That's a bit far-fetched, don't you think?"

"It's not what I think. It's what _you_ think," he corrected patiently.

"That's just the bond speaking..." she trailed off, growing increasingly uncomfortable. "I may want Klaus to stay alive, but this doesn't mean I have -"

"Feelings?" Vision-Klaus provided with a smile. "Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me, your heart is big enough to...contain even someone like me."

"Stop it! Stop talking about my heart and feelings. I don't even know _how_ to feel, _what_ to think anymore." She tried to keep her tone low, for Tony's sake, but the tremor in her voice was unmistakable.

"Hence why I am here," he replied with an arched eyebrow.

"I don't need you," she rebuffed, trying to regain her composure.

Vision-Klaus lowered his head and half-chuckled, half-sighed. "Maybe not, but you do need the _real_ me. The one beyond these doors."

Bonnie scratched at her arm disconsolately. "I just need to be alone, to try and work out...what to do next." In the past, planning her strategy against a potential evil always made her feel in control, but what if _she_ was that potential evil? How do you defeat yourself? Do you want to? Do you have the strength to do it?

"You already know what you want to do," he said confidently. "You want to tell me. You want to walk out of here and tell me you have taken my throne."

Bonnie's eyes snapped to his. "What did you say?"

The conversation was cut off, however, when Tony stirred underneath the covers. He seemed to be waking up. Bonnie turned to him at once, giving the hybrid her full attention.

"Tony? How are you feeling?"

She sat down on the bed and placed a tentative hand on his forehead. He was no longer burning up. That was a good sign.

His eyelids fluttered wearily and his face looked gaunt from exhaustion, but his lips twitched with the shadow of a smile.

"B-Bennett."

"Hey, I'm here. What do you need?"

"Boss?"

Bonnie hesitated. Vision-Klaus had disappeared. "He's resting. Do you want me to go wake him up?"

"Nah. He gets grouchy...if you mess with his beauty sleep."

She exhaled in relief. He seemed like his usual self, except for the obvious recent trauma he had suffered. She grabbed the vitamins from the nightstand and brought the glass of water to his lips.

"Come on, instant healing or not, you need to hydrate and get yourself back into shape."

"Blood?" he asked with a pleading look. Bonnie suspected he was not that desperate for sustenance, but she humored him anyway. She grabbed the blood bag from the bucket at the foot of the bed and popped its lid open.

"Enjoy."

He drank happily, like a child stuffing his face with ice cream. Bonnie would have smiled under different circumstances.

"Tony?"

"Mhm?"

"You were incredibly stupid, you know that?"

"Yeah. Boss says I'm a regular birdbrain sometimes."

"I mean it. That was the most idiotic thing you could've done."

He licked his lips, savoring the blood. "Seems far away now. I'm all good."

"No, you're not," Bonnie insisted sternly. "He's - he's still inside you."

"Oh, I know _that_. Trust me, I can feel him tearing up the walls," he replied with a hint of resentment, "but he's not getting out if I can help it."

"I wouldn't underestimate him. It's Mikael we're talking about. He's trying to kill you from within."

Tony winced. "Eh. No, he isn't. I'm his only body, for now. He needs me alive and well, doesn't he?"

Bonnie shook her head. "The way you talk...how can you be so cool with this?"

He smirked, although you could tell the ruse was taking its toll on him. "I'm _always_ cool."

Bonnie snorted sadly. "You knucklehead. You should be angrier right now. You should be yelling at me."

He stared at her in confusion. "Why would I do that?"

She looked away. "Because it's all my damn fault. If I hadn't trusted Abby, if I hadn't helped her find this place, if I -"

"If and if and if," Tony recited in a deadpan voice. "Are you serious right now? None of this is your fault, Bennett."

"Yes, it is -"

"No, not everything is about you, you know," he winked. "I think Mikael deserves some credit too."

Bonnie hated how easily he could make her smile. "When you asked me on the porch what I'd done, I should have told you, I should have told you from the start. Maybe now you wouldn't be in danger -"

Tony shook his head. "Listen, Bonnie. There was nothing you could do. She's your mom for Christ's sake. Plus, I'm a hybrid. I'm at the top of the food chain. If I don't take the brunt of the hit, who else is gonna?

_Me,_ Bonnie thought darkly. _Because I'm at the top now, aren't I?_

It sounded glib and arrogant. But most of all it sounded grim. She couldn't even begin to accept this reality.

Tony's countenance suddenly darkened with pain.

"I - I can't stay here anymore, can I?"

Her brows rose up in shock. "What? Who told you that?"

"Me. I'm saying it now. I can't stay."

"What are you -?"

"Mikael. He's inside me. And I won't always have control over him, will I? Until we get rid of him for good...which isn't happening any time soon. I can't stay in this house, where I could easily get boss killed. Or you."

Bonnie looked rightfully horrified. "Tony, you _can't_ think like that! We'll help you get better, and we won't let you harm yourself or anyone else."

"Pretty words, Bennett. But I don't share your convictions. This night has been...you don't wanna know what I saw, what I did to wake up. And even now, I just want to lie down and let him loose."

Bonnie shuddered, despite herself. She couldn't imagine such a horrible feeling. She clutched his hand in comfort. "You can't give up so easily. Mikael was defeated once. We can do it again. Together."

He smiled. "But it's _my_ choice, remember? You were the one who kept harping on that I was brainwashed."

"I take that back if you give up this stupid plan. You're staying _here. _You have to._"_

"I can't, Bennett. I won't."

_But we need you_, she thought desperately._ More than you need us._

She forced herself not to cry. He wasn't dead, after all. He was alive, and if he was going to fight, he would do it his own way. She, of all people, should be able to understand. She had survived death more than once, and it had never deterred her from jumping into the next battle.

"Where will you even go? Esther's still out there."

"Haven't figured that out yet, but...I've got some ideas. Don't worry about me."

She scoffed. "How do you expect me to do that?"

"I'll keep in touch. Postcards and such. And hey, I'll return when this whole mess is behind us."

Bonnie wiped the wetness from her eyelashes. "You better."

"Yeah. I expect to find this place swarming with tiny Klaus babies."

Bonnie hit him in the chest.

"Ouch! Person who nearly died here!"

"That's what you get for talking nonsense."

"Well...Boss would make a better dad than Mikael, that we can agree on."

"The devil incarnate would make a better father than Mikael, so I don't know if that's such a big compliment."

"Hey...take care of him for me, will ya?"

Bonnie shook her head. "You're not leaving forever, Tony."

"I know, but he'll need your help with Esther and...well, everything else. I think at this point he'd be lost without you. I mean, you _are_ bonded after all."

She chewed on her lip. "You heard that, huh?"

"Hard to miss it when Abby was screaming it at Mikael. Also, your mom and Mikael? _Yikes."_

"Don't remind me," she muttered, growing shamefaced at the mere memory.

"I mean I guess I don't judge her completely. I saw him the night Klaus killed him at Homecoming. He's not exactly hard on the eyes."

Bonnie genuinely laughed. "Mikael is trying to take control of your body, and you're saying he's handsome?"

"I may be angry, but I'm not blind."

Bonnie realized with anguish that she would miss Tony quite a bit. At least he wouldn't leave right away, she told herself. That seemed to be the motto of her life; at least the people she cared for wouldn't leave. Right away.

* * *

Rebekah gulped down her coffee a little too quickly. The back of her throat was burning, but she almost didn't mind. These human discomforts were a secret pleasure of hers. Like wearing shoes that make your feet sore. Or sporting a red nose after sitting in the sun all day.

Although now, her mind was elsewhere.

She had been ravaged, she felt. Like Dorothy in those stories with the wizard. A hurricane had snatched her out of the world and dropped her here. She remembered almost nothing of the past few days, including last night's apparent fiasco. She was angry, confused, hurting, and most of all, lost.

Rebekah hated that. She was always left out of the loop; she never knew what was happening and when she did, it was already too late. She could express neither of these frustrations like a healthy, _human_ girl, however. She was a Mikaelson, and so she had to sulk and curse her family.

"I hate that bloody git," she muttered, rubbing her forehead.

"You'll have to be more specific," Klaus replied acidly. Her brother was in a foul mood. He kept staring at her neck, where the fresh purple marks stood in stark contrast to her milky skin.

She knew he felt a little bad for what he'd done, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Mikael, of course. But if you feel the label suits you, by all means," she gestured with her hand.

"If you hate him so much," he spoke, ignoring her little comment, "why would you let him inside your head?"

"Oh, that's rich! Like I had a good chance of fighting against my _father!"_

"Ergo, you _don't_ hate him," he retorted with satisfaction. "You've never had the capacity for proper hatred, Bekah."

"My loss, indeed. You seem to be positively thriving," she rebuffed with sarcasm. "Tell me, Nik, how long do you think you can just hide out here?"

"I'm _not_ hiding. It might have escaped your notice, but there is a war raging on. And _you_ have already chosen a side."

"Have I? Because where I'm standing, people have just _used_ me for their own benefit so far. I've chosen nothing."

"And at the Ball?" he rescinded. "What happened there? Were you being used by Mother?"

Rebekah lowered her eyes to her mug. "It was complicated. You wouldn't understand." She might have apologized, might have tried to explain. _I'm sorry, Nik, but I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to be human, I wanted to do right by **me** for once_, but when had Klaus ever grasped this simple concept? He was all selfishness. His affection, if it could be called that, was only ever manifested in possessive obsession.

Which reminded her -

"How did you ever get that Bennett witch to stay here with you? Mother said she's your ally, but I don't quite believe her. Is she under some kind of compulsion?"

"No, I'm not."

The voice startled her. Bonnie Bennett had entered the parlor. And she didn't look compelled, she had to admit.

"Morning, Rebekah. I hope you're feeling like yourself."

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," she acknowledged with a nod of her head.

"Klaus, a word? It's about Tony."

The witch walked up to her brother with easy confidence and even took him aside to speak to him in private. Rebekah pursed her lips, peeved by this unexpected display. The Bennett witch acted as if she was mistress of the house.

And the strange part was, her brother was pretty much confirming this idea.

Rebekah was startled by Klaus' body language. He was suddenly - well, how could she put it? - rendered _meek. _His movements were slow and careful, as if he was making a big effort to show restraint.

She was puzzled. When had he ever done _that? _Restraint was a joke in the Mikaelson family.

This was unnerving. She had expected Bonnie Bennett to be the one walking on eggshells, not the other way around.

Although...neither of them were actually behaving quite normal. There was something strange going on here, but she couldn't put her finger on it. An awkwardness, perhaps?

Rebekah snorted, despite her splitting headache. Nik being awkward. That was nice to witness. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him like this. Probably a thousand years ago.

She shook her head and cast a glance out the window. Nothing could dispel her bad humor, not even Klaus being taken down a peg.

She was startled a second time when she saw the figure of a woman, waiting outside. She was sitting by the car, watching the house closely. Rebekah recalled driving that car...although, that couldn't be right. But she remembered the woman vaguely. The shape of her face was particularly reminiscent.

Her cheeks were suddenly aflame. She remembered kissing her.

_How could I have - Oh, **Mikael.** _

She gritted her teeth, blushing. She had better go outside and speak to this familiar stranger.

* * *

Bonnie felt this was the best course of action. Talk business. Be formal and straight to the point and don't make too much eye contact. But don't shy away from him either, because that would look suspicious.

"That's what he said. That he can't stay here anymore."

"That's _preposterous._ If he thinks I'm just going to give up on him... I don't care a jot that Mikael is inside of him," Klaus replied, nostrils flaring.

"That's what I told him, but he said it's his choice. Maybe you can talk some sense into him, but I think he's set on leaving."

"He's still my -" but he stopped short, the words caught up in his throat.

"Your hybrid?" she supplied. "Actually, for once I wish you'd use that authority to make him stay."

He seemed to hesitate. "I will try."

Bonnie raised her eyebrows. Since when did Klaus Mikaelson only _try_ to tell his hybrid what to do?

"I can't imagine him alone with that _horror_ inside of him," she said, shuddering again at the memory of Tony's words.

"Neither can I. It was bad enough having Mikael as a father."

"I believe you. And I hope _you_ believe me that I didn't know Abby and Mikael were in on this together."

A shadow flickered across his face. "You knew more than me, in any case."

"Mom only told me...that they were lovers once. But I never thought they'd do something like this. If I did, I would have told you. I promise you that."

"You don't owe me any promises, Bonnie," he replied coolly, although she could tell she had managed to placate him to some degree.

"I guess you were right," she humored him further.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Love really is a disease."

She must have caught him by surprise, because he opened his mouth, but nothing smug, like "I told you so" came out. Not even an "I'm always right".

He just stared at her for an inordinate amount of time before he said, "They will get their punishment. For now, there are bigger concerns."

"Yeah, we have to do something about Tony."

The "we" slipped out by accident. It really did. Damn Vision-Klaus. She hoped her face wasn't showing much in the way of emotion. She fidgeted with her fingers and tried to think of something to say.

"But if he decides to leave anyway? Are you going to leave with him?"

The question knocked her off-balance. She looked up at him with genuine shock. "What?"

"You can, you know. You can leave. Perhaps that would be safer in general," he spoke, looking eagerly at a point above her head. She noticed his fists were clenched at his side.

_"Safer?_ With Esther out there and my mother bailing on me again? I don't think I want to take my chances."

"But perhaps," he paused, flicking his eyes back to her, "perhaps you _should."_

Bonnie did a double take. First Tony, now him. Everyone was bent on leaving everyone. She was getting fed up with this scenario. And she couldn't understand what had gotten into him.

"Since when do you care about the _"should's?"_

"Since I found out you and I have been forced into a rather unholy union," he snapped. "Contrary to popular belief, I've never _bound_ a witch to me before. I don't go about tricking your kind into bondage."

Bonnie blinked, mystified.

She hadn't blamed him for the bond, although perhaps she _should_ have. Except, there was no need, was there? He seemed bothered enough as it was. Which made as much sense as Esther Mikaelson suddenly showing up here to apologize for her crimes and give up her evil plans.

"I never implied you did."

He scowled, running a taut hand through his hair. "I know you think the worst of me sometimes, Bonnie."

Another peculiar statement. Hadn't they talked about establishing a kind of peace? Giving each other second chances? Why was he getting so worked up?

"Well, it's mainly your reputation," she mumbled, not knowing what to say. "You sired hybrids, after all. Those are bound to you too."

"It's not the same thing. You can't understand how different that is."

Bonnie's heart lurched in her chest. If only he knew what she could do now. She might understand someday.

_No. No, I can't. I won't. _

Instead, she asked,

"Do you want me to go?"

* * *

What _more_ could he say?

He was willing to let her go. Didn't she _understand?_ He was willing to push her away and reject this free libation. Even though his heart's desire urged him to take what was his.

He had never deprived himself of what he wanted before, but he was willing to start now. The task seemed impossible, yet here he was, offering her a way out. Why couldn't she just take it and not question it?

Temptation was standing right in front of him; he could reach out and grasp it. Didn't she know that if she stayed, he might - he might not have the strength to drive her away again?

"Do you want me to go?" she asked innocently.

_No. No, I don't want you to go. Gods, I never want you to go. But heaven knows why, I don't want to force you. I want you to stay with me because you want to. Which is never going to happen. So you must leave. You must leave before I decide I don't care what you want. Leave while I still care for your freedom more than I care for my wants._

He breathed out slowly. "Anthony said it best. It's his choice. It's yours too. Not mine."

He could not read her heart-shaped face, could not easily find his answer there. Would she stay or would she go? And if she stayed, would it be genuine? He would never know.

His torment was ridiculous, perhaps, and futile. Had he reached such a depressing nadir, that he could no longer seize what he most craved?

"I...thanks, I'll think about that," she said with a sad, luminous smile.

And Klaus realized in that moment what he would only come to understand and acknowledge much later.

That what he really wanted, after all, was for Bonnie Bennett to be happy.

* * *

_A/N: if you are wondering what is going on with Elijah, Tyler and the gang in Mystic Falls, no worries, we'll be getting to them soon!_


	23. the meeting

_A/N: And we're back! Thanks once again for all your lovely reviews, I can't stress how rewarding it is to write this story having you as readers :) _

_Thanks to **zubeyda,** **PracticallyCharmed, Azera-v, TheOneTrueBear** (thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed that!),** MaloryArcher, Lady Maurelle, DancesWithButterflies, Saywhat** (aww, thank you!)** lalororo5, Anastasia-G** (thanks so much for liveblogging, you're the best!), **negrobarc,** **Guest1** (thanks! Glad you're hooked!), **BellaVida0213** (well, I wouldn't worry, since both Bonnie and Tony have big parts to play and you'll see the latter around for sure, but yes, it is a rather big step for Klaus, although this chapter will reveal he's still fighting with some old demons, but he's getting there!)**, thefudge is grumpy** (thanks so much for liveblogging, you rock!)**, freckled98, wonderinthru** (aww, I'm glad that last part gave you feels, it was my favorite to write, of course :) I think some of your queries/thoughts will be answered this chapter, but you make a very good point that Bonnie and Klaus sort of need to dish it out alone. we'll see!), **Gabby** (haha, Tony is really trying to make Bonnie and Klaus happen, isn't he? I know I am torturing you all and myself, but it will happen very, very soon is all I can saaay), **Innocence vs immortality, Guest2** (oh gosh, you're too much! I'm really happy you're so enthusiastic about the fic, thank you!), **namika ashara, cice527, But1tsBetterIfYouDo, bluemagicrose.**_

_I am posting this chapter on the go, because I am already late for work, but I hope it's all right! And as always,_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Elijah was hard-pressed to admit it, and it is possible his brother would have beheaded him for this, but Tyler Lockwood reminded him so much of Niklaus.

Of course, their _modus operandi_ was as different as could be, but the stubborn wolfish nature, the passionate yearning for life, and the fatal attraction to death were all things they shared. Elijah took note of it with a slight twinge of heart. If this resemblance was accurate, Tyler might prove to be as volatile, devil-may-care and calculated as his brother.

At the moment, his best chance was to strike up a partnership. Not because Tyler was particularly good at tracking other hybrids or even his own sire, but because he had stumbled upon the next best thing. Or rather, _it_ had stumbled upon Tyler.

The wolf was a complete mystery to Elijah. He disliked mysteries, as a rule. And when Tyler did not flinch from the creature but instantly recognized it, he grew even more displeased.

"Impossible. My brother, in possession of a pet wolf. _I_ would have known."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Seems like you don't know everything."

"No. Niklaus could not have hidden this from me." He adamantly refused to accept such an absurd reality.

"Don't sweat it, he was pretty secretive about it," Tyler explained, taking some tentative steps towards the creature. The wolf was standing poised on all four on the other side of the road. It gave you the distinct impression that it was waiting.

For all his swagger, Tyler physically gulped when the wolf pawed the ground.

"Tyler," Elijah warned. "I would not take another step if I were you. This is a mistake. Niklaus does not have -"

His words were cut off when, with a sudden leap, the wolf landed at Tyler's feet and lowered its head in a show of...peace, submission? Elijah could not tell. He was completely disturbed by the spectacle.

Tyler was scratching his head in bewilderment.

"It's weird. Why would it come after me?" he wondered out loud. "I mean, Klaus more or less hates my guts. And the feeling is mutual."

"Perhaps it was not Niklaus who sent it," Elijah insisted. He was overwhelmed by the novelty of the experience. Here he was, a human Original, traveling with a renegade hybrid, trying to find his murderous brother. Who had a pet wolf.

"Oh, it's him, all right. I can't explain it, but I'd recognize the beast anywhere. Goddamn wolf gives me the chills."

Elijah couldn't exactly disagree. There _was_ something uncanny about the almost lucid glint in the creature's eyes.

"Of course, Klaus never showed it to me personally," Tyler mentioned crossly. "No, that was reserved for that kiss-ass, Tony. But I caught a peek or two. When someone tries to hide something, I make sure I know."

_Devil-may-care and calculated_, Elijah noted once more.

After all, the very reason they had collided with the wolf was a literal collision. Tyler had been driving them down the interstate when the wolf nearly jumped in front of the car. Tyler had not hit the brakes, as any reasonable person would. No, he had done a 360 degrees turn that had cost Elijah a cold sweat.

"Do you plan on staring at it all day?" the Original drawled. His patience was wearing thin.

"I think it wants me to follow. Look, it's trying to lead me towards the forest."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "I know you are still a hybrid, Tyler, but you cannot simply chase after this creature, top speed or not."

"Upset you can't catch up anymore?"

_Let's add cocky to that list_, Elijah thought ruefully.

"I'm merely questioning the logistics of your plan."

"I don't have a plan beyond saving my pack. But...the wolf's here for a reason."

"Perhaps," Elijah allowed reluctantly. "But it could very well be a trap designed by my mother. She is looking for your kind, after all."

Tyler seemed to hesitate. "That's...no, I can _feel_ it. This has got nothing to do with Esther."

Elijah was going to strain his sockets from so much eye-rolling. "Oh, well, since you _feel_ it, I am convinced."

"You've been alive for more than, I don't know, the whole of America, but you're gonna tell me you don't believe in this stuff?"

"I do not condone wild leaps in imagination, yes."

"This isn't a leap. I think I have an idea. Come on, let's get back inside the car."

Elijah huffed with exasperation. "I thought you were going to follow the wolf into the forest."

"Yeah, but where would that leave _you?"_

Elijah quirked up an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you wish for me to tag along."

Tyler shrugged. "You know _him_ better than I do."

"Ah, so you don't trust yourself with Niklaus. And yet you seem to know about this pet wolf."

"Like I said, I make it my business to know."

Elijah bit his tongue. He wished he could tell him, _you're more like him than you know_. But that would only inspire ill feelings in the tempestuous hybrid. He was not going to throw away a possible chance to find his brother. Despite his misgivings, he got back inside the car.

"Is this wise?" he questioned, when they started driving away from the wolf.

"No, but I'm betting it will work."

And it _did._ The wolf started running at an impossible speed. It caught up with the car in mere moments and started running in front of it, fast enough that Tyler could follow it easily. Elijah released a startled breath. This was no ordinary wolf, indeed.

"See? I had a _feeling,"_ the hybrid mouthed insolently.

* * *

Abby felt a lump in her throat at the sight of her, and it had nothing to do with the dry toast she was trying to keep down. Rebekah Mikaelson was walking towards her with a purpose. She wanted to talk. There could be nothing good in that.

She would've liked to get back inside the car and drive away - wasn't that her usual ammo? Running away?

She stood her ground, against her better judgement. She wasn't afraid; that would have been easy. She was ashamed.

"You must be Bonnie's mother." It was not so much a question, as it was a statement. The silk-haired girl surveyed her with a critical eye.

"And you are Esther's daughter," she replied coolly.

"Mikael's daughter too, sadly. I'm sure you are _very_ familiar with him."

Abby stiffened. "What do you want?"

_"Really?_ Aren't you the one who is supposed to be apologizing and making nice?"

"I wasn't the one who took over your body."

"No, but you didn't exactly put up a fight once it happened, did you?"

Abby's eyes glazed over at the reminder, and the apology - the _real_ apology she owed Rebekah - was on the tip of her tongue, but for some unknowable reason, she decided to lash out.

"I tried to do the right thing the only way I could. I'm sure you compelled plenty of people to do what you wanted when you were a vampire. That is another form of _taking over_."

Abby regretted her words, even while she was saying them. She had no idea why she was doing this. Yes, perhaps a Mikaelson was not made of stainless glass, but Rebekah had not deserved any of what had happened. Why couldn't she apologize in earnest?

_Because it's too painful._

"Well, you must be happy I'm no longer a vampire, then. I suppose it's a fitting punishment - becoming my father's puppet."

Abby winced. She was so beautiful, this once immortal teenage girl. How old was she? Her real age, that is. Was she older than her daughter? No one should be this beautiful.

"Yes, I'm glad you're no longer a vampire, and I suppose so are you," she replied.

Rebekah was caught off-guard. For a moment, all she could do was blush. "How would you know that?"

Abby shrugged. "I imagine everyone would rather be human."

"Being a witch isn't entirely human."

"No...but it's a better deal, all around. Is Esther training you?" Abby inquired, trying to pass off the question as simple conversation. But she was eagerly waiting for the answer.

"That's none of your business. And I'm still waiting for that apology."

Abby bristled. "The only person that deserves my apology is Bonnie."

Rebekah folded her arms. "Is that why you're sitting here outside? Because you and Bonnie are so close?"

"You know nothing about that."

"I can read people better than you. I've been around _much_ longer."

"And yet you're still a kid," Abby replied, but her words had no ire, no sting to them. No, in fact, perhaps this _was_ her apology. She had almost meant it kindly.

Rebekah looked incensed. "No, I'm _not."_

"I'm saying it's a good thing. You managed to stay a kid this long, that's good," Abby muttered, looking away uneasy. She had really screwed up her life, one way or another. She had fallen into bed with the wrong men, flaked out on her loved ones repeatedly, and just about ruined everything for Bonnie. She was not a great witch, either. She had her good moments. Most of them were bad. She was not a kid anymore.

"If I'm a kid, why did you kiss me?"

Her mouth parted stupidly, and any other punishing thoughts she might've inflicted on herself vanished from her head.

"What?"

"That's the only part I can remember. Mikael kissed you. But you were kissing _me."_

Abby flushed a deep, shameful red. There was nothing she could say to that.

There was an awkward silence for a while, before Rebekah asked, "Would you have kissed him again?"

Abby fidgeted uncomfortably. "No, of course I wouldn't have."

And then, Rebekah smiled. "Liar."

She should have been shocked at the girl's boldness, but she was a Mikaelson, after all. There was something unsettling about her. Those large doe eyes, she had to look away.

"Are you leaving, then?" the girl demanded imperiously, flipping back her hair.

"That's none of your business, as you well put it."

Rebekah ignored her. "Where are you going?"

Abby frowned. "Why are you asking?"

The girl shrugged. "Seems odd you would be leaving your daughter alone."

Abby heaved a sigh. She would need a lot of patience to get through this conversation. "I'm going to get some answers. About Bonnie and Klaus' bond. I want to help her. That's why I'm leaving."

_That's one reason, anyway._

It killed her to admit that Bonnie was safer here than she would be with her. But she couldn't do much about that, except try and fix the mess she'd made.

Rebekah bit her lip. "Answers...where will you get these answers exactly?"

"I have my channels," she replied curtly. She was not about to reveal her magical connections to a potential enemy. Rebekah may have been one girl in the scheme of things, but she was Esther's daughter.

"Sounds like quite a trip."

"It should be."

Rebekah glanced over her shoulder at the house. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but then closed it shut. Abby waited patiently. She owed her this much.

"My brother...you must not like him very much."

Abby shrugged. "I believe the feeling is mutual."

Rebekah nodded her head. "He's a bastard. A very _complicated_ bastard, which is the worst kind. I wish I could trust him."

Abby had no idea what to reply to that. She kept quiet.

"All the men in my family, really, are not the trust-worthy kind. Even when they mean well. And well, Father...you have a first-hand experience with him, I imagine."

"I don't want to talk about -"

Rebekah waved her hand in dismissal. "Me neither. That's not the point. The point is, I have nowhere to go."

Abby blinked. "What?"

"I mean, if I go back to Mother, I know that won't end well. She will _train_ me, as you put it. Probably for her own ends. If I stay here, Nik might use me too. There is a wretched war in our family. There's _always_ been a wretched war in our family. I want no part in it anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"Every time I stayed with them, it's ended badly for me. I want to go with you."

In the first moments, Abby was not sure she had heard right. She couldn't have. But Rebekah was watching her expectantly.

_"_Absolutely not!" Abby blurted out, when she finally found her voice.

"Why not?"

"Because I barely know you! And you hardly know me! And you are Esther's -"

"No, enough about that! I'm tired of being a Mikaelson. Yes, you are a stranger, but where has family ever gotten me? At least I know you wouldn't take me back to Esther. And you would not use me to get back at Nik either."

"I don't trust you," Abby protested.

"I don't trust you either, but I trust them less at this point."

Abby wondered what had happened to this girl to make her say something so hurtful. Was this how Bonnie saw her? She recoiled at the thought.

"Why don't you just leave on your own?"

Rebekah strained to keep her voice neutral. "I'm not good at that. I've tried it in the past. I always seem to come back to them. I don't expect you to understand."

But Abby did, in her own way. You return to the people who make you suffer, it's a given.

"Besides...you're a powerful witch, aren't you? A decent one, at least. You stood up to Mother. You could protect me."

"What gives you the idea that I would protect you?"

"You _owe_ me that, Abby Bennett. After what happened, you owe me that."

And Abby realized, with chagrin and dread, that she was absolutely correct. The Bennetts had never been stellar with words. They showed their character in acts of misguided bravery. Mikael had stripped this girl of any choice. Now, Abby had to give her one.

* * *

Bonnie smiled. It was strange to see Tony and Klaus together like this. She didn't doubt there was affection between them, but to see them locked in an embrace was something new.

The hug did not last very long. Klaus held a firm hand on Tony's shoulder when they parted. "Don't play the hero, Anthony. It doesn't suit you."

"I can barely put pants on in the morning. I think I'll be fine," he replied ruefully. "Besides, I'm coming back soon. _Too_ soon. You'll wish I was gone longer." His eyes went past his sire and landed on Bonnie suggestively.

She scowled, but she couldn't really stay mad at him. Not when he was leaving.

"I will not say goodbye to you now. You must wait until after the full moon, at least," Klaus prompted sternly.

Bonnie frowned. _The full moon? Oh! Oh._

She was genuinely surprised to find that a whole month had passed since Klaus' last turning. He was a werewolf now, this would be a periodic burden.

"That way," Klaus continued, "I can better persuade you to stay."

Tony scoffed, but his eyes were laced with sadness. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

Bonnie saw the way Klaus' jaw tightened with disappointment. She would have made nothing of it in the past, but she knew him well enough now. She stepped forward.

"You can stay for two more days, Tony. You wouldn't want to miss your goodbyes?"

The hybrid arched his eyebrows, eyes flicking from his sire to the witch. He rolled his eyes. _"Fiiiine,_ Mom and Dad. God, don't be so clingy, will ya?"

He slipped past them before either had time to react to his words.

"Sometimes I wonder if I should curtail that insolent behavior," Klaus muttered to himself.

"I think you secretly like it," she spoke without thinking. When his eyes turned to her, she swallowed. "I mean, you like being opposed."

There was a pause before he spoke. "I'm going down into the cellar."

"Already?"

"Tomorrow is a full moon, but I believe it's wiser to shackle myself early," he said with a note of dark humor.

"That seems excessive."

"Trust me, I can already feel the urges coming on. I wouldn't want to slip," he replied, eyes straying to the curve of her neck. In a flash, she remembered his claw on her pulse. Bonnie felt like an idiot for the shiver that ran down her spine. Klaus was telling her about a real problem, and she was being foolish.

"I don't necessarily expect you to be here when I return."

Bonnie blinked. "I..."

"But I _am_ leaving you in charge of your mother. You know I want her gone."

She nodded wearily. She wasn't going to enjoy that conversation. But Abby was leaving anyway.

"What about your sister?"

Klaus mulled over her question for a few moments. "She may very well be Esther's agent still."

"After what happened to her?"

"Don't underestimate this family's talent for survival and deceit."

"So, you're kicking her out? Just like that?" Bonnie questioned, folding her arms.

Klaus smiled. "Who said I'm kicking her out? On the contrary, she must remain here. If she leaves, she will give away our location at the drop of a hat."

"So, we simply hold her against her will?" It seemed the "we" was becoming a fixture in their conversation.

Klaus hesitated. "She will come around to our way. She needs time. But she will see that she must join our fight."

Bonnie sighed. _One step forward, two steps back. _

"You're giving me a choice, but you're not giving Rebekah any?"

Klaus was suddenly too close for comfort. She didn't know how to react to his proximity anymore, but the hallway was large and the space between them was too small.

"But I am. I am letting her _choose_ my side. In the past, I would have made her do it without question."

Bonnie huffed. _"Or,_ you could just ask her for help. You could just tell her you need her."

The Original stared at her for an inordinate amount of time.

"I cannot ask. She must realize that on her own. I will not ask."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "No wonder this family's got so many issues! And you, unable to deal with your feelings, unable to tell her -"

"That is quite enough _family_ business for one day," he interceded with authority.

"Fine. Do you need any help with the shackles? Oh, let me guess, you _don't,"_ she mouthed, rolling her eyes.

She could've sworn he was holding back a smile.

"I...maybe I will see you when I return above ground." His tone was suddenly less confident, less sure. "Until then, can I trust you to take care of matters?"

Bonnie nodded briefly. She was reluctant to deal with Rebekah or her mother, but with Tony's help she might put things back into some kind of order. Until he left, that is.

And then what? She still hadn't told Klaus what she could do now, what she had become. He seemed to have no clue. Wouldn't it be better if he never found out?

She looked up at him with sudden dread. This wasn't goodbye, was it? She hadn't thought much about his offer. The Original was giving her a way out of this bond, so to speak. She had to take advantage of that, didn't she?

"I hope you're okay down there."

"Your concern is touching," he teased, but his eyes remained hooded.

She wondered what he was thinking. Suddenly, he seemed to be leaning into her. Bonnie's heart started hammering in her chest. She couldn't control it, the swift spike in her senses. It might've been the bond, or just the fact that Klaus Mikaelson was only inches away from her and she could reach out and touch him. He seemed to be thinking the same thing, because his hand shot up to reach for her face, and she stood perfectly still, waiting for that moment to come, but at the last minute he changed his mind and moved away from her.

Bonnie frowned. She didn't know what she had expected. She felt cold and foolish. And for some reason, his retreat bothered her. It wasn't the first time.

"Klaus, what's wrong -"

She made to grab his shoulder and pull him around, but the instant her fingers touched the muscle of his arm, he grabbed her and pinned her body against the wall.

He was no longer a hybrid, no longer had that kind of speed and agility, but she was still _reeling_ from the sudden rush. His grip made her gasp. He was holding her waist, right above her ribs, and she could hardly breathe.

"You don't want to do that right now," he spoke low into her hair.

When she angled her head up to meet his eyes, she gasped. They were a deep, golden amber. The color seemed to shift and whirl, volatile and hungry.

His wolf was coming out, ready to pounce. He had been right; it was better to remove himself early before he gave in to a more primal nature. And yet, a strange flutter made her stomach twist in pleasant anticipation. She almost _liked_ being held like this, knowing he was moments away from unleashing the beast within. It was thrilling, and a little intoxicating.

It was different from his possessiveness at the Ball. She had not known him very well then, and she had not wanted to. Now, though, she wanted to find out what would happen if she pushed him over the edge.

_I'm going insane. He could hurt me._

"You wouldn't hurt me," she blurted out, contradicting her own thoughts. She realized she believed it. After everything they had been through, she trusted this instinct, whatever it was.

"No, but I would do _worse." _

His voice came out like a deep growl. Bonnie parted her lips. _Worse. What could be worse?_ She wanted to know. This was a dangerous game they were playing. Maybe...maybe he was right, and she should leave. But it was oh-so-tempting to remain in his arms.

Luckily, he removed himself from her before they did anything stupid.

Bonnie watched him go. His fists were clenched at his side. She leaned against the wall and breathed hard.

* * *

Tyler had seen a lot of weird stuff in his short existence, but this probably topped most of the bizarre events he had witnessed in his hometown. Bonnie Bennett, the girl he'd known all his life, was standing on the front steps of a giant mansion, screaming murder at him. Not only that, but Klaus' pet wolf had run straight to her and was now sleeping peacefully at her feet.

"Don't take another step, Tyler! Not until I know your intentions!"

She wasn't kidding around. He could feel the sharp edges of her magic biting at his skin.

"Jesus, Bon, you know me!" He felt disoriented by her vehemence. He knew she probably hadn't forgotten about the night he'd bitten her, but that had been an accident. She had to understand it had been Klaus' fault. He would've never hurt her.

"No, I don't! The same goes for you, Elijah. Stay back!"

The Original was sizing her up with calm nonchalance. Tyler threw him a look. Shouldn't he be more worried about what was going on?

"I see we've arrived at the right place. Miss Bennett, should I presume you are mistress of the house?"

_What the hell is he doing? Trying to taunt her? _

Bonnie's nostrils flared, but she seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Klaus left me in charge of the place and I promised I'd keep it safe."

"My brother...left you in charge?" He sounded surprised. Tyler couldn't blame him. Last he remembered, Bonnie had tried to kill Klaus. Now she looked like the queen of this joint.

"Mother did mention you were allies now. But I assure you, we have no ill-advised intentions."

"See, "Mother" is the problem here," Bonnie replied curtly.

"Yes, she seems to have made enemies of her own children. I see you have my sister," Elijah pointed out. Tyler noticed the blond girl behind Bonnie, but Rebekah Mikaelson didn't look like she was trying to rush into her brother's arms.

"We got your dad too, although he can't make an appearance right now," a glib voice spoke behind them.

Tyler didn't have to turn around to tell who it was.

"Kiss-ass," he spat, leveling Tony with a disparaging look.

"Is that supposed to insult me, _James Dean_?" Tony rebuffed with a stupid smirk. Tyler gritted his teeth. He could take him down, he knew he could. The only problem was, Elijah couldn't have his back. He was only human now. And Bonnie Bennett didn't seem to be on his side either. Whether she'd been brainwashed, like Tony, or worse, he didn't know. But he didn't want to risk some aneurysms just to find out. Rebekah Mikaelson was human too, from what he could tell, but the dark-skinned woman standing next to her looked and _felt_ like another witch.

_Shit._

Klaus knew how to surround himself with the right people.

"I knew I'd find you here," Tyler grumbled, trying to buy himself more time. "Klaus' little bitch is never too far, after all."

"Oh, Tyler. Jealousy is not a good look on you."

_"Jealousy?_ You must be out of your mind."

"No, I think you're the one with questionable mental abilities. I mean, showing up here like this? That's stupid, even for you."

"It was that damn wolf," Tyler barked, pointing towards the creature who lay quietly at Bonnie's feet. "That's who led us here. I didn't ask to see your dumb mug, that's for sure."

"This could be a trick. How do we know you're telling the truth?" Bonnie interceded. "How can we trust you?"

_Trick?_ Tyler wondered. _What is she talking about? Why is she so paranoid?_

"We _are_ outnumbered and at your mercy, Miss Bennett. This isn't an issue of trust. This is an issue of...communication," Elijah put in smoothly.

"Meaning?" she demanded.

"Meaning we may come to an understanding yet. Neither of us wants to harm you or Niklaus. We might actually have a common cause. The wolf came to us, not the other way around."

Elijah was good with words, Tyler had to give him that.

"Actually, Boss sent Dyaba to find one of his hybrids," Tony piped in. "But I'm starting to agree with Bonnie. This has to be a trick. I mean, the best he could do was _you?"_

Tyler clenched his fists. He couldn't wait to wipe that snide smirk off his face.

"Perhaps...we may leave our animosities aside for a moment and speak in earnest," Elijah said, ignoring their taunts. "All of us here are displeased with the bloody way our matriarch dealt justice in Mystic Falls. I do not enjoy my new mortality. And I am certain Niklaus is not thrilled with his lupine condition either. I believe we have been united for a reason."

Bonnie frowned. "Rebekah came to us with a similar call, and that turned out to be _false."_

"And yet, she is still with you. In any case, you are welcome to exercise your magic on us, to test our veracity," Elijah offered calmly.

_**What?** Is he off his rocker? _Tyler knew he shouldn't have joined up with a crazy Mikaelson.

"Either way, a _family_ meeting is long overdue. What do you say, Miss Bennett?"

It was the dark-skinned woman who stepped up first. "Let me handle them, Bonnie."

"No. No, he's right. They're outnumbered. And I want to hear them out." She bent down and scratched the wolf's ear. Tyler would need some strong alcohol to get that image out his head. If he ever got out of this, that is.

Much to his surprise, Bonnie Bennett opened the door for them.

"Let's have that meeting."

It wasn't much of a friendly offer. The wolf had risen from his place and was watching them intently. And that bastard Tony was walking right behind them.

Great. This would be _fun._


	24. the dinner

_A/N: A timely Christmas update! Hope you're all having a lovely time and thank you so much for your wonderful responses to the last chapter. _

_Thanks to **izchel88, PracticallyCharmed, MaloryArcher** (thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you appreciate Bonnie's conflicting moralities, this chapter will deal a bit more with that and how she perceives Klaus in front of Elijah and co. Live-tweeting haha, yes she is definitely comfortable enough with Klaus now to want more *wink*), **TheHedgeRider, Babaksmiles, Lady Maurelle**, **cice527, guest** (ah, I'm sorry, I am a tease indeed, but I promise you won't have to wait for much longer now, I'm glad you liked the boys bantering :), **lalororo5, Anastasia-G, TheOneTrueBear, zubeyda, thefudge is grumpy, Cmechillin, DancesWithButterflies, Izzie Jackson, namika ashara, Narutofangirl45, negrobarc, freckled98, Gabby** (I think the emergency room is where I am going to go too when they finally kiss, which will be pretty soon! Also, I'm glad you liked Tony and Tyler's bickering because more of that is coming up, and yes, Bonnie is the absolute queen!), **The Cuteness, LadyLuckAJ, wonderinthru** (no worries, I know first-hand just how much life interferes with fanfic. I'm glad you like Bonnie slowly coming into her own and taking charge :), **toooldforfanfic.**_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie had not prepared for a dinner. But it was turning into one, by the looks of it. They had removed themselves into the dining room. Tony had decided he would "whip out something to eat". Rebekah had gone to help him. And now Bonnie was sitting at the head of the large table, drumming her fingers against the black wood, avoiding Abby's prying stares and trying to guess just what Elijah was thinking. The Original was calmly returning her interest. There was even a small smile tugging at his lips. Tyler, on the other hand, scowled in his direction. He didn't seem pleased with their current arrangement. Bonnie could sympathize. She had been put in this position out of circumstance, and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

Still, she couldn't give the game away, so despite the nervousness in her fingers, she kept a steel resolve and did not flinch. She tried to act like she was "mistress of the place".

"You have taken my brother's seat of honor, I gather," Elijah spoke at length. "He is the one who usually sits at the head."

Bonnie pursed her lips. "But you are older."

"What is the difference of a few years when you are immortal? Well, I suppose I know now. Yet, even so, Niklaus would not accept any other seat."

"Maybe he felt he earned it."

"Do you?"

Bonnie frowned. "Do I what?"

"Do you feel he has earned it?"

"No," she replied too quickly. "If it were up to me, none of you would get a say in anything."

Elijah smiled. "Ah, already sounding like him."

She recoiled. "You said we were united for a reason. I'm not going to get into your family issues, Elijah."

"You already have. I never knew about this house. Or that wolf. Yet here you are, in possession of both. I can't imagine, Miss Bennett, that you and my brother are not...well, _aligned_ in some way."

Bonnie mulled over his words. "We are friends."

Tyler snorted cynically. "Klaus doesn't have friends."

"We became friends out of necessity," Bonnie supplied, in a tone that was more defensive than neutral. She'd known Tyler since she was nine. They had never been close, but now there was a whole gulf between them. She felt strangely sad about that. But there was nothing she could do.

"Necessity is one way of putting it. I believe you were working with Niklaus before you went into hiding with him," Elijah spoke, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Bonnie sighed. She began recounting their history, from the beginning. She was careful not to mention the bond, the blood connection, or anything that might give away what she was now, what she could do. Abby, out of respect or consideration, remained quiet.

But Tyler did not.

"You forgot to mention Klaus healed you. After I bit you."

Bonnie bit her tongue. Did he really _have_ to remind her?

Elijah leaned forward. "Niklaus healed you?"

"He fed me his blood, I healed, that's the end of that," Bonnie murmured, looking away.

"Hm. It's true, a hybrid's bite is rather deadly for a supernatural. But I do not recall Niklaus healing many victims in his lifetime," Elijah remarked.

"You weren't _always_ at his side. Like you said, you didn't know about the wolf or the safe house," Bonnie argued, feeling incredibly weird. She was basically defending Klaus.

Elijah stared at her for a moment too long.

It was a God-sent that Tony arrived just in time with drinks and appetizers.

"So, I cooked up some Bloody-Marys to go all around. I think we need something strong. Plus, vitamins. Got some soda too, for those of you who want to chicken out," he said, placing a can of soda in front of Tyler with a smug smile.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. What was Tony's beef with Tyler exactly?

But Tyler grabbed the soda and popped it open, guzzling it in a single gulp. He seemed to be challenging Tony to say anything else. The hybrid moved on.

Rebekah set the plates and cutlery. It was probably not a good idea for her to be handling knives at the moment, but Bonnie was too keyed up by this entire ordeal to worry about that.

Notably, the Original blonde sat down next to Abby after she was finished. And her mother did not even flinch or seem to care.

Bonnie wondered what that was all about.

"Do any of you have any allergies I should know about?" Tony asked, turning to run back into the kitchen.

No one said anything.

"Fine. Suit yourselves. But when your throat gets clogged up don't come running to me."

There was a tense silence in his wake. Bonnie licked her lips.

"A full moon will be upon us soon. Where is my brother?" Elijah asked, sipping from his Bloody Mary.

"He's fine. He's resting," Bonnie answered. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out he was chained up somewhere out of sight, but she didn't want to give away the cellar if she didn't have to.

"I am surprised he does not wish to attend this meeting. Then again, perhaps if he _were_ here, we would not be having it."

Bonnie decided to cut through this polite nonsense. "You managed to get across the magical border. That means you don't wish him any harm, do you?"

Tyler and Elijah exchanged a look. "Magical border?"

"I thought I felt something funny at one point..." Tyler trailed off.

"We did not register anything like that," Elijah confirmed.

Bonnie realized this was only proof of their relatively peaceful intentions. She mentally ticked the little box in her head that said "Not Dangerous", but she added a small "For Now", just to be sure.

"May I ask why you care that we might wish him harm?" Elijah asked, staring her down.

Bonnie opened her mouth. She wracked her brains for a smart retort, but Tyler decided to speak for her.

"She's been brainwashed by Klaus. This is what he does. Forces people to care about him."

Her reaction was instinctual. She felt absolutely insulted. She glared at Tyler.

"If you hadn't realized by now, I'm not easily manipulated. _I_ decide who I care about and who I don't."

"Do you, then? Care about him?" Elijah persisted.

Bonnie didn't care to deny it anymore. "Yes."

Her mother groaned at the far end of the table.

"So you deny everything he's done?!" Tyler blurted out. "Every shitty thing he's put us through? He's killed in cold blood! Sired hybrids just so he could torture them and make them do what he wants! He _made_ me bite Caroline! He's a sick bastard and you, of all people, should hate him, Bonnie!"

Bonnie felt the air go out of her lungs. _You, of all people, should hate him._

Her eyelids stung with unshed tears. What a cruel twist. Before any of this had happened, she would have been the one to tell Elena or Caroline something like this.

She suddenly didn't know what she was doing. She had no idea what she was supposed to say. She felt so ashamed of herself, but at the same time, she couldn't deny her feelings. She didn't hate Klaus. She wanted him to be safe. Was it the bond?

Was it this magical connection that had been born unwillingly between them?

No. As much as Tyler spoke the truth, Klaus had not made her do anything. And she had not compelled him either.

It would have been easy to blame it on the bond. But she knew, in her heart, the heart of a witch, that she simply cared for him. She cared for a supernatural being who was flawed and terrible and she couldn't take that back.

Her facade was slowly crumbling.

Suddenly, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you shut your mouth, Lockwood? You know nothing about this." Tony had materialized behind her. She had never heard his voice sound so stern before. But she was overwhelmed with gratitude. One more second and she would have burst into tears, and what kind of "mistress" did that?

"And you _do_? Klaus played with your mind too," Tyler retorted.

"Get out. You clearly don't wanna be here, so _leave._ You won't be missed," Tony hissed, gripping Bonnie's shoulder harder.

She winced under his grip.

"Tony, it's fine,_ no one'_s leaving yet -"

And then something funny happened. Something she should have foreseen, but even if she had, it would have still taken her by surprise.

Tony wrenched her out of her seat and almost pushed her to the floor.

Bonnie managed to recover by falling on her elbows. She saw Abby and Elijah rise from their chairs at the same time.

But when she looked up at Tony, she gasped.

His eyes were glazed over and his whole body was shaking, quivering like it had been electrocuted.

"N-n-no, no, nno-oooo! NO!"

He screamed and moaned as he stumbled around violently, crashing into the furniture behind him. He suddenly gripped his head hard and cried out. "Get out, get out, get out! Aaaah! Help me! Help me! Get out! _GET OUT_!"

Bonnie realized too late what was happening. He was fighting Mikael. The Original was trying to worm his way out and take control of him. Tony was fighting back with all he had.

"GET OUT. ALL OF YOU. BEFORE - BEFORE I - " Tony spat, charging at them menacingly.

Bonnie did not want to use magic on him, she hated the very idea, but she raised her arm all the same.

Yet, it wasn't her that stopped him.

Tyler lunged at Tony, too fast for her to see. He jumped on him and pinned him to the ground, his body effectively trapping his.

Tony kicked and screamed. He struggled with all his might against Tyler's hold. He wailed like a banshee and howled like a demon, but Tyler was not yielding an inch.

"HEY! HEY, LOOK AT ME, TONY! IT'S OKAY. LOOK AT ME!"

Bonnie held onto the back of her chair in shock. She didn't know how to help, but she had to do _something_. Elijah and Abby were now at her side, visibly shaken by the fight taking place before them. Only Rebekah was huddled somewhere at the back of the room, unwilling to come any closer.

Bonnie understood why. This was Mikael screaming.

"LISTEN TO ME! TONY! YOU GOTTA BITE ME! DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU GOTTA BITE ME! JUST DO IT!" Tyler screamed, his body brimming with exhaustion.

"What? Tony _don't_!" Bonnie cried out.

"JUST BITE. SINK YOUR TEETH IN MY THROAT. NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN. WE'RE INDESTRUCTIBLE, REMEMBER? JUST DO IT!"

Bonnie shook her head. "We have to stop them!"

It was too late. Tony sank his fangs into Tyler's throat and bit down.

Bonnie closed her eyes and turned instinctively towards her mother. Abby gripped her shoulder.

Bonnie didn't hear a sound. Tyler barely whimpered, but he remained steadfastly on top of Tony the whole time.

After several torturous moments, the struggling stopped and Tyler rolled over on his back with a groan. Tony lay on the floor, mouth streaming with fresh blood, eyes darting wildly about the room.

"I'm - "

"You're okay," Tyler breathed out, wincing as he lifted himself up. The gash on the side of his neck was already healing.

Bonnie rushed to Tony's side without missing a beat.

"Tony!"

She imbued her fingers with magic and gently rubbed his forehead and chest, trying to calm him down. When she looked up, she saw that Abby had joined her and she was using her magic to soothe his mind.

"Bennett...wait, two Bennetts," he mumbled, raising his arm towards her mother.

"Tony, do you remember where you are?"

"I think so. Bloody Marys and ...hey, someone should go look in the oven. I left something in. Could be burning."

Bonnie sighed with relief.

"Whatever you did worked," Abby concluded grimly, looking at Tyler over her shoulder.

"Yeah. I know," Tyler replied curtly. He was unwilling to reveal anything else. "What I don't know is what that _thing_ inside of him was."

"That was Mikael," Abby said, helping Tony into a sitting position.

Elijah slowly brought his hand to the bridge of his nose. "Please tell me you are joking."

Suddenly, they all heard a strange beeping noise coming from the other room. Bonnie froze, expecting another horrible attack or an unexpected seizure.

But it was Rebekah who announced, absurdly, "That must be the oven. I'll go and see to it."

The rest of the company stood around Tony like actors on a stage, except no one knew their lines. How did one proceed from here on? Obviously, they needed to tell Elijah why Mikael was trapped in Tony's body. But no one felt inclined to start.

At length, Tyler excused himself. "I need some air."

* * *

Finn was rather broken up when, upon their return to Mystic Falls, he found Rebekah was missing. Esther pretended to bemoan the absence with due distress, but her real ire lay with the apparent escape of Abby Bennett.

Kol made short work of it.

"I was doling out some much needed discipline to those Salvatore rats when my sweet sister ran out of here with the Bennett woman in her wake."

"Impossible," Finn protested. "Bekah knew Abby was an enemy, she would not have done this."

"Oh, but did she ever. And I'm pretty sure she called those two vampire twits over, to create a diversion."

Esther poured herself a dry scotch and sat down by the fireplace. She was going to crush this glass with her very hand.

"That sounds nothing like our sister," Finn insisted.

"Oh, yes, because every Mikaelson is just and honorable, I forgot," Kol mocked.

"Your brother is right. It's not in Rebekah's character. She is not that resourceful." _Or devious_, she thought with annoyance. Someone must have instructed her rather dull-minded girl to initiate such a scheme. Esther did not altogether deny that, knowing her volatile and emotional nature, Rebekah might want to leave the family and strike off on her own as a mortal. However, to take Abby with her was clear, harmful intent.

Intent that now Esther wanted to decipher.

_Who is puppeteering her?_

Several names came to mind, several enemies which had yet to be crushed. She had done away with almost all of Niklaus' old hybrids, but there remained some allies who still roamed free. Including the nuisance himself.

"We need soldiers. Fresh soldiers."

Kol and Finn stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Mother...?"

"Elijah is unfaithful to our cause, I can sense it. I sent him off for a reason. And you, my darling boys, must continue your training as witches so that you may wield more power in our future battles. Do not forget this is just the beginning."

"What about our sister?"

"If she returns, she will be punished. If she atones, she will be forgiven."

Finn swallowed, drawing closer to her chair. "What if she neither returns nor atones?"

Esther shrugged in a show of sadness. "I'm afraid we cannot do much for her then. She will be lost to us."

The veiled threat in her words hung over their heads like a dark cloud.

"Fret not. It may not come to that. We will do all we can to save her. But we need help," she exhorted, taking Finn's hand in hers.

"Where will we find soldiers?" Kol asked, more interested in the martial aspect than anything else. Rebekah had always been a fun playmate, but he was not sentimentally attached.

"Right under our noses, I'd imagine," she replied, smiling. "There are witch coves I will call upon, witch coves that do not look kindly on the Bennetts and their stifling hegemony. But there is yet something more efficient for our use, right in this town."

Finn gripped his mother's hand tightly. "What could possibly be useful in Mystic Falls?"

Esther looked at the amber liquid in her glass. "Did you know the Gilberts own some curious rings that grant the wearer a makeshift immortality?"

Kol sniggered. "Right. So you turned us back into mortals only so we can become immortal again?"

Esther glared at her son. "You are feeble of mind indeed if you think that is my design. No, the rings only protect you from a supernatural death. What is interesting about them is the wearers. Alaric Saltzman and Jeremy Gilbert."

Finn frowned. "I don't understand, Mother."

"It is a simple magical principle, really. If you abuse a magical object too many times, it is bound to leave a mark on you. The more Gilbert and Saltzman wear the ring, the more vulnerable they get."

"But you said they are protected -"

"They are. But nothing protects you from magic. If they die while wearing the ring too many times, they come back...altered."

"Altered how?" Kol demanded impatiently.

"Every one of us is filled with darkness and that darkness lies dormant inside us, waiting to be set free. That is what the rings do. Once you have overcome death, the only road left is violence. And that is what they will become. Violence personified."

Kol's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Ooooh, they will kill and maim and slaughter, is that it? How interesting."

Esther smiled indulgently. "I told you there is no equal to magic. It can unleash the very best and very worst in us."

"What...is it that you intend to do, Mother?" Finn asked cautiously.

"It is not what_ I_ intend to do. You two must train and train well. Gilbert and Saltzman will be your practice."

Kol licked his lips. "You mean, we will kill them."

"Such an ugly word, indeed, but yes, you will use your magic to end their lives. They will come back, and you will do it again. In fact, you will do it until they become the soldiers we need."

Finn looked upon the idea with considerable doubts.

"It's a small price to pay, my sweet, for justice and peace," Esther insisted, bringing his hand to her lips. "You have been monsters for so long. It is your duty to end these abominations. When we are finished, Gilbert and Saltzman will be returned to their natural form. That of mediocre, talentless provincials."

Kol laughed. "This will be fun. I've never been the hero before."

"Yes..." Finn trailed off demurely. "Heroes."

* * *

He found Tyler at the back of the house, staring at Dyaba. The wolf was pawing serenely at some fallen leaves.

"How's the fresh air?"

Tyler didn't flinch or look in his direction. "Not fresh anymore."

Tony chuckled. "So I guess you don't want my thanks."

They stood in silence for some moments, neither willing to say anything else. Dyaba kept interrupting the quiet with his little games. He rolled on his back and bit at his own tail, happy to be home again. It was a happy sight.

"What the _hell_ did you do to yourself?" Tyler exploded finally.

"Ah. That."

"I mean I know you kiss the floor Klaus walks on, but are you that goddamn insane -"

"Boss didn't make me do it."

"Yeah, right, tell me a new one -"

"I'm _telling_ you, Klaus forbid me. But I did it anyway."

Tyler stared at him with disbelief. "Did what?"

"Mikael's come back from the dead as a stupid ghost. Well, spirit's more accurate. You met him, right? The night of the Homecoming? When you were still - " He stopped short. He was going to say, when Tyler was still part of the pack.

"Klaus killed him," Tyler replied.

"Yeah, well, what stays dead these days?"

Tyler nodded. This was the first thing they could agree on.

"He doesn't have a body anymore, so the old man thought he could take his daughter's body instead. I didn't see that as fair game. Pick on someone your own size, you know?"

Tyler mulled over his words. "So you basically committed suicide."

"I'm still here, though, aren't I?"

"Why did you do it, if Klaus didn't tell you?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "You really are thick, aren't you? I already _told_ you. I like fair fights."

"What, you want to play the hero now?"

Tony scoffed. "Like you haven't been trying that all this time."

"That stuff's not meant for us."

"Says who?"

"Me," Tyler replied, turning away from him.

Tony sighed. He was going to be difficult, _big_ shock. He eased himself down next to Tyler.

"I don't know, you were kind of a hero back there."

He shrugged dismissively. "I only returned the favor."

Tony cocked his head. "What favor?"

"You know. The first night I was turned."

"Sorry, I don't keep a log of your personal life, Lockwood."

Tyler gritted his teeth. "Klaus took me in at the mansion. But all night, I felt like shit. My friends were all weirded out by me. I looked like a freak, I talked like a freak. I don't know, I was relieved I wasn't a werewolf anymore, but -"

"You felt guilty for feeling relieved. Yeah, I know. I get it."

Tyler looked at him directly for the first time. "Huh. So you're not a total robot. Well, anyway, I had a breakdown. I couldn't function anymore, I just kept thinking none of this is real, and I'll be in pain again tomorrow. I'll be punished. I trashed the place, I crawled up the walls. I was going insane. You came into the room and you fought me down. You immobilized me and told me to bite you. Said it would help."

There was a pause, during which both looked at Dyaba, playing in the leaves.

"It did. So, I returned the favor."

Tony remembered it clearly now. He had tried to help _all_ the hybrids transition. But Tyler had been a particularly thorny case.

"Thanks," he mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"I thought you said no thanks."

"No, I said you probably don't want any. Do you?"

"No," was Tyler's stiff answer. But something had shifted between them. They were still rivals. And likely, never to be friends. They were too different to make peace. But they were not _so_ different they couldn't at least understand each other.

"James Dean."

"Kiss-ass."

Dyaba had lain down and was napping with one eye open.

"We should probably get back inside. Dinner's not over yet. I cooked a mean turkey."

"Thanksgiving's a month away."

"That's never stopped me before."

Tony thought he caught Tyler sketch a smile.

"I'm leaving soon," he said, as they got up. "I can't stay here anymore."

Tyler looked nonplussed. Tony chuckled. "You won't always be here for me to bite, will you?"

"What are you gonna do?"

"Oh, roam around. Try to find any remaining hybrids left."

Tyler shoves his hands in his pockets. "You'll need help with that."


	25. the departure

_A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2016 treats you well! It's been a whole year since this story was published and I want to thank all of you for coming along for the ride. We are not even nearly done, so I hope you join me on this journey, and continue to read and review!_

_Thanks to **PracticallyCharmed, Guest1** (thank you!), **Malory Archer** (haha, I am amused by your True Detective comparison, I could totally see that working. Also, I feel that witch!Kol has a lot of potential, so he will definitely chew some scenery while we're at it), **lalororo5, TheHedgeRider, Guest2** (I'm glad, there's more of that this chapter!), **DancesWithButterflies, LadyLuckAJ, Lady Maurelle, Guest3** (thanks, I'm glad you did! Klonnie is coming back very soon), **Narutofangirl45, zubeyda, cice527, Guest4** (I'm glad you liked Tyler's gesture. I think it will make even more sense when these two hash out some of their shared history. anyway, thanks a lot!), **LeilaniStar, Anastasia-G, wonderinthru **(I'm glad you liked the update! And your speculation is very interesting, especially regarding Bonnie's reaction. You also make a good point about Esther's plans. We'll have to see!)**, bluemagicrose, thefudge is grumpy, freckled98, negrobarc.**_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Everyone was eating their food in quiet shock. It was something to do while they came to terms with what they had seen and heard. They were all aware that little could be solved with potato salad and roast turkey. But no one was willing to suggest an alternative.

Elijah looked downright weary. He could hardly process what he had been told. The world was becoming a hostile place. He was weak and tired and _human_ and very much helpless. Bad timing, seeing as his father had decided to come back as a vengeful spirit from the Other Side. What could he possibly do to ward him off? He could not fight. He doubted he was gifted with magic. Esther had insisted they had all inherited the magical root from her, but he thought his inheritance must have been very frugal. He was perfectly useless.

He raised his hand and loosened the knot of his tie. A gesture he would have only made in privacy. But what was the point of decorum now?

He snuck a glance at Bonnie Bennett.

She picked at her food with even less enthusiasm than him. And she kept chewing on her bottom lip. But she was steadfastly clinging to that chair, to the head of the table. She was trying to keep up appearances.

How old could she have been? Eighteen? Barely a fraction of a lifetime. Not enough to make a dent in his skin.

Yet, she was made of stronger stuff. There was something hard about her, but her edges were full of light. As if she were a rock in the middle of the ocean. He could see why his brother...

He frowned to himself. He did not know if he should feel glad that Niklaus had found someone like her. He was curious how a girl like that could feel any affection for someone like his brother. He loved him, warts and all, but Elijah had no illusions as to his character.

He remembered the sheer passion and rage Bonnie had radiated the night she had summoned the power of one hundred witches to kill Niklaus. He remember how he had gone back on his word to her. He had felt ashamed about his dishonorable conduct for a long time. But he wondered whether he should, still. It almost seemed fortuitous now that...he had stopped her.

How strange this life, mortal or not. How easily enemies become...something else entirely. He had lived long enough not to be surprised. Yet it still caught him off-guard.

He simply had one quandary.

When had Bonnie Bennett bonded herself to Niklaus? Before, or after her feelings had grown for him?

Oh, she thought she had been clever, evading to mention the bond at every point in her account. Luckily, Tyler had brought up Niklaus' act of generosity. Healing Bonnie Bennett. Giving her his blood. It confirmed what Esther had told them weeks ago. _She drank his blood, willingly_. Of course, his mother had painted the affair in rather vaudevillian terms. Bonnie Bennett had been _seduced_ into betrayal.

But this girl did not look seduced. She looked like someone who had made a choice.

Perhaps that was a trick too. But his line of inquiry was cut short.

"I'm leaving with Abby."

Everyone dropped their forks at the same time. Elijah barely heard the clatter. He stared at his sister in the most ungainly fashion.

Rebekah shifted on her chair uncomfortably. "I'm not going to stay with you, Elijah. Or Nik. Not anymore. I'm going with her."

Abby Bennett, at first, showed no sign that she had acknowledged her words. But after a few moments, she nodded her head reluctantly.

"Mom? What is she talking about?" Bonnie inquired in a strangled voice.

"Your mother agreed to help me. She owes me," Rebekah replied in her stead.

"I was talking to Abby," Bonnie retorted, staring at her mother hard.

"It's...it's true. I am responsible for at least half of Mikael's actions. I have decided to...take Rebekah with me."

"You've made mistakes, that's true, but she's not your responsibility," Bonnie argued, brows knit high in indignation. Elijah could almost sense her line of thinking. _I, your daughter, am your responsibility_. But mothers don't always love us as much as we love them, he found.

"Yes, she is. She's been through enough because of me. Someday you'll understand -"

"That you care more about Rebekah Mikaelson than me?" Bonnie blurted out with barely concealed resentment. She was an open book, this young woman, yet still full of mysteries.

Abby flinched. "How could you even _say_ that? I don't _care_ about her. I am doing my duty. I am doing this for you too. I am leaving to - you know why I am leaving. You know what I mean to do."

Elijah pursed his lips. Abby Bennett had been about to reveal the purpose of her departure. But she had paused, glanced at him, then stopped. Curious.

"And how could my sister help you on your quest?" he intervened, politely.

"She has to learn to be a real witch. And she won't get that from Esther, will she?" Abby replied.

"So you've decided to appoint yourself her teacher?" Bonnie commented briskly. "Is that what you're telling us?"

"You know, it would be bloody wonderful if people stopped talking about me in third person," Rebekah spoke up, rendering them all silent again. "I don't need your approval, Bonnie Bennett. This is my choice, and I deserve to make it. After all these years, I deserve to leave. And no one can stop me."

Elijah sought his sister's eyes.

"Bekah...the whole point of our meeting here was the necessity to stay united. Who are we if we break apart?"

"Normal people, Elijah. That's who we are. That's who I want to be."

"You realize you'll never be normal," he argued.

"Not if I stick with you and brother dearest. I am not your little sister anymore, to carry around and play with, as you please."

"I've never -"

"Oh, I know. You think you're above that game, Elijah. I can say you've been better than the rest of them. You respected my opinions. For a while. But you could never resist Nik. You love him more than you love me."

"No, no that is not -"

He found it hard to speak. Suddenly, his throat was too dry for words and his eyelids felt heavy. He realized he was about to shed tears. This had not happened in at least two hundred years.

"That is not true, Bekah."

"Yes, it is. You can barely own up to it, but I can. I - I don't hold it against you. It's the way of our family."

Elijah could only see blurry shapes in front of him. He would not cry. He _must_ not cry. He may have untied the knot of his tie, but he would not go so far as a public exhibition.

"It's better this way. Better for you too. I am leaving with Abby," she reiterated firmly. Her words brooked no argument.

_Better for me? How can it be better for me to lose you?_

He must not cry. He could not allow it. Instead, he channeled his anguish into pure, cutting reason. He focused all his strength on Abigail Bennett.

"I find it hard to believe you would take my sister under your wing solely for the opportunity of training her. What is your true purpose?"

Abby narrowed her eyes at him. "I told you, I feel responsible for her."

"No, that is only half the story." He turned his eyes to Bonnie Bennett. "And your daughter knows the other half."

Bonnie bristled at his suggestion. "You're in no position to make presumptions, Elijah."

Ah, open book full of mysteries. He smiled at her in his benevolent fashion. Her face had a calming effect on his pain. His tears dried before they fell.

He knew, just by looking at her. This was about the bond. Abby was taking his sister somewhere...somewhere he would not be able to reach. And it had something to do with the bond between Bonnie and Niklaus.

"As you say, Bonnie," he nodded courteously.

Perhaps he was useless now. And perhaps that was a good hiding place.

He could stash his sorrow, his anger, his frustration behind this wall of convalescence. He glanced at Rebekah with longing.

_We were once family. We can't stop being family, can we? Can we?_

She refused to look him in the eye.

Tony coughed awkwardly from across the table.

"Suppose this is a bad time to say I'm leaving with Tyler too."

* * *

Bonnie could not believe this. _Everyone_ was leaving. They had barely managed to agree to anything at all. And it seemed all agreements had been made behind her back.

She was fuming. The anger coursing through her veins was almost foreign. She wanted...she wanted to _howl._

She rose from the table before she did anything stupid. The evening had been violent enough.

"Excuse me."

She walked out of the dining room and into the hallway. When she was out of earshot, she leaned against the wall and _growled._ She could not help it.

Bonnie touched her throat. She was not accustomed to such sounds coming from her own mouth. Was this a borrowing from Klaus? Was it the wolf inside her?

She trembled with anger and excitement. This hybrid blood was doing strange things to her. But it felt good to let it out. She did not even notice when Dyaba appeared at her side.

"Oh. It's you."

Dyaba cocked his head to the side questioningly.

"You must've heard me. Sorry about that."

_Why are you apologizing?_

Bonnie gave a start. She looked around, startled. Who had said that? It can't have been in her head.

She looked down at the wolf. He was shaking its tail slowly, glancing up at her expectantly.

She shook her head. The strain was getting to her. That must be it.

She was almost afraid to wonder further. She was afraid of what she might find. There had been enough unpleasant discoveries. Instead, she ran up the stairs and headed straight to her room. She needed to lie down.

* * *

It was her mother who woke her up. She had fallen into a nap, which had turned into deep slumber. It was morning. The sun was shining down from the windows.

In the first few moment, her heart leaped in her chest. This was like being home, and finding your mother at the side of your bed, kissing you awake.

Except, Abby had never been part of that home and Bonnie had never been kissed awake.

She rose from bed reluctantly. She sometimes felt too much like a teenager. This was one of those times. All she wanted was to pull back the covers and reject reality.

"I...think you should come down, Bonnie. Everyone is waiting for you."

"They can wait a bit longer."

"I'm afraid not. It's a new day."

"So? Can't we have one more day of peace and quiet around here?"

Abby sighed. "You know very well we can't. Tony is struggling as it is. And Rebekah does not want to be here when Klaus comes back to the surface."

Bonnie chuckled bitterly. "So...Rebekah. That's new."

"You have always been a generous witch, Bonnie. Even as an infant, you displayed an open heart. You were never happy until everyone else was. Self-sacrificing and noble to the bone, that's my baby girl. I'm not like you, but I'm trying. I'm trying."

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. "Self-sacrificing. What if I don't want to be that way anymore? What if I'm tired of putting others first?"

Abby frowned. "That's not what I meant -"

"You got to be selfish, Mom. You got to do what you wanted. So it's easy for you now to think of being noble_. _You want to do your duty? I've always done my duty. And I'm tired."

"I...I'm sorry. We never meant to put so much on your shoulders. You've always been so strong, so wise for your age. We always knew you could handle it. We... took you for granted."

"Yeah, you did," she spoke softly, tracing patterns into her comforter. But Bonnie knew that, at this very moment, she was worrying about Tony and how he was feeling. And somewhere, deep down, she was feeling bad for Rebekah too, because she had been used by her loved ones, and she no longer felt safe with her family. And dammit, Bonnie could empathize will _all_ of them. Elijah, too. And Abby.

She could even understand her mother's decision to embark on this self-punishing quest.

She hated all these goodbyes, but she understood them all the same.

She understood everything. That's why it was so painful. Because it made _sense._

Abby gathered her daughter in a stiff embrace. Bonnie tried not to respond. But she absorbed her mother's essence one last time.

* * *

It was Elijah who approached her last.

"I thought you'd be staying. I mean, you're not paired up with anyone, are you?" she asked sardonically. She was trying to display that open heart her mother had been talking about, but she found it difficult to keep her tone light. She wondered if her new attitude was another gift from Klaus.

"At the moment, no."

His eyes crinkled when he smiled. She knew he could not be trusted entirely, but he was darn good at pretending he was.

He, at least, wasn't going to try to hug her or say words of comfort. She had almost burst into tears when Tony had crushed her to his chest. She hadn't even looked at Abby. She couldn't.

It had half broken her heart when she'd had to tell Dyaba to go with Tyler and Tony. But without the wolf's magic concealing their presence from Esther, their journey would be pointless. Tyler had not been thrilled with the addition to their company, but thankfully, he had held his tongue.

Dyaba seemed more than willing to go. Klaus' orders, from the start, had been to retrieve hybrids. The wolf was wagging his tail happily.

"We'll bring him back in one piece, Bennett. Us too. You'll see," Tony had promised.

_When will that be? In a week? A month? A year?_

Everyone was packing up in the entrance hall, getting ready to leave. Everyone, except her.

"You'll miss your brother. You came all the way and you didn't even get to see him."

"I'm sure that you..." Elijah hesitated, "will forward my message to him."

"Which is?"

"That I will never harm him," he said softly. "As long as I live."

Bonnie felt a strange, almost painful warmth in her belly. It wasn't like Elijah had professed not to harm _her._ But it felt like the same thing. _Damn bond._

"Where are you going to go?"

"Good question. All doors seemed to be closed to me, except one. New Orleans."

Bonnie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "New Orleans? What would you be doing there?"

"Oh, running into old enemies. And old friends. Friends Niklaus might need."

"And the enemies?"

"He might need those too," and he smiled again, his eyes crinkling. "You will find that Esther is not very well liked among the undead."

"Color me shocked," she replied with a chuckle.

"You are much sharper than I remembered, Miss Bennett."

"Then you've got a bad memory."

"It _has_ gone to rust after so many years..."

Bonnie hesitated. "Do you have to go to New Orleans right this moment?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Do I detect sadness in your voice?"

Was it sadness, she wondered? She didn't care for Elijah, but Klaus did. Was she being "gifted" with this too? Was her empathy going to be stretched to its limits?

She shrugged. "It would be good to have someone here when Klaus...emerges."

"Are you afraid to be left alone with him, Miss Bennett?" he asked in a serious voice.

"No."

Her answer was automatic. She didn't have to think about it. She was _scared_ that she didn't have to think about it. That was her true fear.

Elijah nodded his head apprehensively. "You might be the first person to say so."

Bonnie blinked. "But...you..."

"I would be afraid," he confessed.

"Why?"

"Family frightens us the most, doesn't it?"

Bonnie did not know what to reply. He was right, of course. But it left her speechless anyway.

"Still," he continued amiably, "I must get on to New Orleans. Time is ticking. Mother is not standing still, I would imagine. Klaus will need all the help he can get. Tyler and Tony may yet retrieve two or three lost hybrids. But that won't be enough. I have no powers left, except my name and my past. Perhaps I can put them to good service."

Bonnie accepted his response, although she wasn't sure what help he could come up with. She felt bad about doubting him. Was this how Klaus felt? It was almost exhausting to care for someone deeply but to constantly second-guess them.

"Bonnie."

"Yes?"

"The white-oak stake."

She looked at him nonplussed. "What about it?"

"Did you keep it?"

"Of course."

Abby had given it to her without commentary and she had deposited in the cellar, where it would be safe, she told herself.

"It has lost its power for us. Irony has it that almost anything can kill us now. Well, Niklaus might stand a better chance as a wolf. But the stake has become a relic."

"What is your point?"

"It might not be a relic...for Esther. Keep it for her sake. And when the time comes...it might serve as a weapon again."

Bonnie's eyes widened imperceptibly. "Are you telling me you want me to stake your mother?"

"No. Of course I don't _want_ that. But...I fear that this goes beyond my wants."

"Elijah -"

"The stake might not kill her. But it can't hurt, can it?" he said with a soft smile. That soft, crinkling smile.

_Yes, it can, Elijah. That's the point. It will hurt your mother._

She suddenly saw him for who he was. A creature who had lived long enough to say the things he said with a smile.

He leaned forward. He was about to kiss her cheek. But Bonnie stepped away at the last moment.

He withdrew with complete acceptance. "That's probably for the best."

* * *

Fine.

She was _fine._

She was alone with Klaus in the safe house. Alone with Klaus.

Everyone had left.

She was fine.

But everyone had left.

No more Tony to diffuse the tension and make her smile. No more Abby to get mad at. No Original Family to barter with. No Tyler to remind her of her failings. Not even Dyaba to soothe her weary mind.

Just her and Klaus.

She was inside this big house and Klaus was somewhere in the cellars, slowly turning into a beast.

Tonight was the night he was going to change.

And she was alone in the whole house.

The howls started around seven in the evening. They were long and deep and they traveled all the way to her room on the second floor.

She had locked the door, just to be safe.

She wasn't afraid. She couldn't identify _what_ she was feeling, but she knew a barred door was the best solution for it.

She almost felt that, this was not a measure to keep him out, but a way to keep herself in.

_You're going insane. Which is why you shouldn't have let Tony leave._

Now she sat on her queen-sized bed and counted the minutes away. But she was fooling herself. It would be hours until he was finished.

She looked around her bedroom. She almost hoped Vision-Klaus would make an appearance, just to settle her nerves. But he was stubbornly hard to conjure.

She didn't know why. She _was_ thinking about Klaus, wasn't she?

_Yeah, but you're thinking about him as a...a beast. _

She almost wondered if he had come to that stage in the transformation. She wanted to see...

_No! Stop it!_

As if to mock her, another long howl pierced through the floor. She gripped the sheets with her fingers. She looked up at the ceiling with dread.

_Why_ was her heart beating to quickly? He was chained, he couldn't hurt her. She _knew_ he wouldn't hurt her.

So why...why was this happening?

She moved her legs impatiently. She couldn't stand still. Every little movement turned the air into electricity. She felt her skin burning from the inside. Bonnie put a hand to her forehead. She was feverish. But the fever was eating away at her flesh.

She rubbed her thighs against each other.

She rubbed them again. She felt a small wave of pleasure.

_Oh, God._

She was wet. She closed her eyes.

Another howl traveled from the cellar, down her spine.

She was going to come apart.


	26. the kiss

_A/N: And we're back! I wasn't going to let you suffer too long, I know that was a very rude ending. All I can say is that this chapter drained me emotionally and is perhaps the pivotal turn in the story. I've enjoyed writing it immensely and I hope it shows. We are now over 500 reviews and I am seriously in denial, because that's crazy, thank you!_

_Thanks to **lalororo5, Izzie Jackson, MaloryArcher** (thanks a lot, I'm glad you appreciated my rendition of Elijah, I adore him! I'm happy you liked Bonnie's conversation with Dyaba, and yes, that's only the beginning :), **PracticallyCharmed, TheHedgeRider, LadyLuckAJ, abdulkadir zubeyda, DarkSkyler, cice527, DancesWithButterflies, Bennettore** (You'll find out how that goes this chapter and thanks!), **negrobarc, TheOneTrueBear, Babaksmiles, Lady Maurelle, freckled98, namika ashara, bluemagicrose, Guest1** (haha, I can't say much but this chapter should please you *wink*), **Anastasia-G, Gabby** (Thanks so much, and I'm sorry for making work more difficult for you, this chapter should give you a lot of Klonnie to make up for it!), **thefudge is grumpy, Guest2** (haha, yes, Elijah admires Bonnie, but no worries, Klonnie is still my main pairing and you'll get some overdue scenes this chapter), **alienbaby77, LeilaniStar, eva505, wonderinthru** (I'm glad everyone leaving was a bittersweet note, but I promise we'll keep in touch with Tony and co. and they're not gone for good. Thanks for your lovely words!)_

_Now I am going to go hide because I am both scared and excited about this chapter._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie felt a stab of shame as she lowered her hand between her thighs. Whatever was happening to her, it _had_ to be extinguished. She wouldn't be able to stand it much longer. She could hardly breathe.

Klaus was still howling under the floorboards. The gut-wrenching sounds were growing louder.

She moved her fingers quickly over her mound and closed her eyes. She let the waves of pleasure carry her far away. She could feel the friction building up to an unbearable point. She could almost _taste_ the freedom of release. She arched her back and pressed her toes together as her hips began to move of their own accord. Sweat was pooling on her forehead. Her mouth opened in a silent 'o'.

She was close. So _close_.

"Yes...yes..."

And then nothing.

Bonnie opened her eyes with a gasp.

The sensation was like being robbed of warmth. A cold and punishing whiplash.

She kept moving her fingers, but the release stubbornly escaped her every time. The tension was still there, painful and all-consuming, but she could not – she could not get herself off.

It was ridiculous, and terrifying too.

She had never had this problem before. She did not have a wealth of experience with self-pleasure, but she was pretty sure she should have come by now.

She hadn't.

And the howling was still sending shivers down her spine.

_Please..._she begged an absent presence._ Please..._

She grabbed a pillow and squeezed it between her thighs. It brought little comfort. She hugged her chest and tried to think of anything else. There were many dampening subjects to consider; like her mother and Tony and the pain of letting them go.

Yet somehow, this treacherous instinct inside of her trumped disappointment and heartbreak.

All she could think about, all she could _feel_ was this throbbing need inside her.

She stomped out of bed with a growl. She couldn't – _wouldn't_ – take this anymore.

Bonnie grabbed a dressing robe and pulled it over her exposed body. Then, she unlocked the door and walked out into the unknown.

* * *

The cellars were damp and cold, but her skin was on fire. She felt no discomfort as she walked, barefoot, on the icy stone slabs. The hem of her dressing robe trailed behind her like a bad omen. Part of her mind knew she should turn, run back up the stairs, lock the door and never come down again. But that part was now a slave to her instincts.

She was strangely calm for someone who was expiring from within.

The howls were so close now, so distinct, that she felt them in her own throat.

Her feet guided her to him without foreknowledge. He had chosen a cell at the end of the corridor, but nothing could keep her away now. She needed to _see_ him. She required a body to match those agonizing sounds.

At first, all she saw was a broad back, lined with scars and sweat, rising and falling like a hurricane. It was mesmerizing. He was on all fours, crawling across the hard floor. His nails were long and sharp. His body was angled at an odd position, almost as if the bones were breaking from the inside.

Bonnie's heart lurched in her chest. She _should_ have been overwhelmed with pity and sympathy. She _should_ have felt sorry for him. But the sight of his torment did nothing to chase away her lust. On the contrary. She demanded her release.

Bonnie edged closer to the metal bars.

Klaus' head snapped up the moment her body moved.

She paused in her step and took in his features. She was confronted with a mangled, beastly visage. His teeth were bared, his mouth was red with blood, his eyes were dark and liquid and his nostrils flared. Tusks of wild hair covered his temples, his jaws. He was the perfect image of the predator. She wanted to come closer.

The bars were standing in her way, but she could crush them with her fingers. Her magic was strong. It was singing to be unleashed.

It was then she saw the chains wrapped around his wrists and ankles. They were fastened to the walls of his cage.

She frowned, displeased. Those would have to go too. How could he reach her if he was chained up?

She took another step closer.

"_NO_!"

His voice, still struggling to sound human, boomed against the cavernous ceiling.

Bonnie froze. She had never been more frightened and aroused in her life. The reality of what she was about to do suddenly washed over her like cold water. But it was swallowed up by the fire burning in her blood. She could hardly fight it anymore.

She raised one hand.

"DON'T!" he bellowed, teeth gnashing with despair. "GET AWAY!"

She could see the bulging veins in his neck, purple snakes that choked the life out of him. She could see the muscles of his shoulders clenching under duress.

Her fingers wrapped around the metal bars.

"STOP! _BONNIE_!"

She heard her name through a great expanse of fog.

"BONNIE!" he cried out again. "I WILL HURT YOU! GET AWAY!"

_No, you can't hurt me, this feels right, __you can't hurt me.__.. _her feverish mind argued. She was strong enough for him, she knew she was.

She put her hand between the bars and stretched her fingers towards him.

Klaus growled under his breath and launched himself at her, the chains rattling in his wake. He was yanked back before he could get close enough.

He collapsed on his back with a haggard breath.

Bonnie did not even flinch. _Come on...break the chains...come to me._

She pressed her body against the bars, feeling the dressing robe slip down her shoulders. Cold metal kissed her collarbone. She closed her eyes and savored the sensation. When she opened them, Klaus was watching her. She had never seen so much anguish before, so much desire. His eyes were black now and in that blackness, she saw how much he wanted her.

She didn't understand. Why was he restraining himself?

She pressed even harder against the bars. The metal hurt and chafed, but she did not care. She raised both hands towards him.

"Klaus..."

_"BONNIE!"_

He tugged and wrenched and yanked at his chains until he almost dislodged his fingers. The clatter and shatter of metal and stone were like music to her ears.

His head could almost touch her outstretched hand. His lips could almost taste her skin.

She smiled, because he was so close, and she was so close too and together they would satisfy this cruel need.

One of the chains snapped and broke loose from the wall.

Klaus gripped her wrist with his free hand.

"Bonnie, please! _Please_!"

His nails dug into her skin and elicited a soft cry from her lips. She didn't even realize she was shrieking until the blood spurted from her wrist. Odd, it did not feel like pain. She could not describe the sensation, but she did not want it to end.

Klaus stared at her blood in agony. He relented his hold on her hand, but she gripped him back reassuringly. _Come to me._

His whole body fought to be with her, she could see it. And yet...he wanted to let her go.

"Bonnie," he spoke hoarsely. "I don't - want you - to see me - like this."

She blinked. What was he saying? She had seen him like this before. Why did it matter?

"Please. I - don't - want - it - like - this," he panted.

His words were cut off by blinding pain. He clenched his teeth hard. "Don't - make me - the monster."

_Monster._ Such an ugly name.

"You're not a monster," she spoke, looking down at the blood that was still running down her fingers. She remembered fighting for him, defending him against his father, against her own mother. How could he still think that?

"YES, I AM!" he screamed in her face. "THAT'S WHY I CAN'T HAVE YOU! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Bonnie instinctively drew back.

The fire in her belly turned into a dull pain.

"I cannot do this to you. You are _good_. And I cannot -"

He cut himself off and pounded his fist against the floor. Hard. Until he drew blood.

Bonnie stared at his red knuckles, at his broad, scarred back, at his trembling lips. And suddenly, she understood.

She didn't see him as a monster, but _he_ did. And he thought monsters could never have good things. Because they ruined them. They destroyed every good thing in their lives.

_Oh. _

The truth of it pulled her out of her trance. She had finally put the pieces together. Klaus Mikaelson had lived his life doing despicable things, because that's what monsters did. It protected them. When you had no goodness in your life, you could not lose anything. You could never be hurt.

His eyes had turned black and vicious once more. His anguish ebbed away, only to be replaced by raw greed.

"Go. _Now."_

Bonnie realized what was happening.

This was her last chance to leave before he lost all control.

But if she did, she would be confirming his self-destructive thoughts. And if she stayed...she would only torment him more. Her own haunting desire still chafed her thighs.

She did not know what to do.

She remember the first night at the safe house. His claw had touched the hollow of her neck and she had not been afraid.

Suddenly, she saw Tyler standing over Tony, holding him down with his body. _"JUST BITE. SINK YOUR TEETH IN MY THROAT. NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN. WE'RE INDESTRUCTIBLE, REMEMBER? JUST DO IT!"_

Bonnie blinked. Klaus was only a wolf. She was indestructible. She was a hybrid.

When Klaus lunged at her again, he broke another chain. But she was ready for him.

His claws tore through her dressing gown and clutched her waist in a vise grip. Only the bars prevented him from pulling her against his body.

She could feel the slashes across her back. They were blooming into red gashes, turning her white robe into dark crimson. She felt no pain.

She brought her shaking hands around his shoulders and angled her neck to his mouth.

"Here. Nothing bad will happen," she repeated Tyler's words.

His nose nuzzled against her skin almost affectionately. His lips hovered over the pulsing vein in her neck.

"Bite me. Bite me now."

When his teeth sank in her throat, she saw stars.

She remembered vampire bites. They were mean and quick and soulless. This was no vampire bite. He was a wolf. And his bite was slow, full of yearning. And while there was no softness in it, the soul behind it ached to pour himself into her.

He did not thirst for blood. He simply thirsted for her.

She embraced the beast and closed her eyes.

* * *

He was drunk. No, not drunk. Hungover.

His mouth was filled with cotton, his throat felt raw. A furious headache pounded at his temples.

He hadn't felt this weak and spent since that Saint Patrick's day in 1936.

He raised himself from the floor with a stagger.

One wrist and foot were still shackled, but the other wrist and foot...

He had broken through the chains.

_Shit._

But that was possibly not the most alarming detail. He was covered in grime and smeared with blood. And some of it didn't smell like his own. He cringed inwardly.

He could not remember much of the previous night. A flowing white robe and outstretched arms. The maudlin vision of an angel? He couldn't say. When he was pushed beyond all limits, Klaus tended to think, naively, of salvation.

He remember hunger. He had been hungry, so hungry...But then again, he was _always_ hungry.

Except for now. Now, he felt sated.

He was afraid to search his mind and find out why. Whatever was buried there could not be pleasant. It never was.

Yet his cell was still locked, the bars had not failed him.

What _could_ have happened?

Anthony would have protected Bonnie and Rebekah. He wouldn't have let them set a foot inside the cellars. That is, if Anthony was still around.

Klaus leaned a weary head against the bars. He supposed waiting for his hybrid to come down here might prove futile.

He bent down and removed one of the stone slabs with considerable effort. His muscles still felt sore. He retrieved the key and unlocked the cell door. But he did not want to get out. Facing the world above was going to be a painful ordeal.

And what if - what if _she_ was not there? What if she had taken his offer and left for good?

Klaus swallowed thickly. He would not resent her. He had promised her he would let her go, and that is what he intended to do.

After all, he chuckled to himself, he wanted her to be happy.

* * *

Everyone was gone. Everyone.

Tony had already left, he had expected that. But Dyaba had not returned, either. And Rebekah was nowhere to be seen. Abby's car was not parked in front of the house. Bonnie's room was empty.

He called out their names, one by one.

And received no reply.

They had all left.

He had put Bonnie in charge of the house, and they had all left.

He stood under the shower, forcing himself not to bloody _cry_.

What a thankless excuse for an Original he was. Weeping for his pet, his friend, his sister and...the witch.

If Esther showed up now, intent to kill him, he would laugh in her face and invite her in. He was that _pathetic._

This was the last time he would ever make such a foolish mistake. People did not stay, they simply didn't. You had to _make_ them.

_No, you promised her. You must let her go._

"What if I can't?!" he screamed at no one in particular.

The silence was enough to quiet him. He was not about to throw a fit because his toys had been taken away.

_She was so much more than a toy._

Yes, perhaps in a thousand years, she had been something like hope.

He would feel better by tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. He had been alone before, he knew how to survive. Klaus Mikaelson always clawed his way back to the top, in the end.

* * *

He was bent down over the fireplace, trying to kindle the fire, when he heard the front door open and shut.

Klaus clenched his fingers around the poker, ready to launch it at his intruder and sever their head.

"Hey. You're up. Sorry, I went for a walk."

Bonnie dodged the poker in the nick of time.

"What the _hell,_ Klaus?!"

His eyes widened in shock and he exhaled loudly. She was _here._ His hands went limp by his side. "I..."

"What are you doing, throwing weapons around?" she questioned, stepping into the parlor.

"I thought - I thought you were someone else."

"Who else would it be?"

_An enemy. I don't know. I thought everyone was gone_, he was about to reply, but something - maybe pride - kept him silent.

"I'm sorry," he said in a rush. "Did I hurt you?"

"Well, not with the poker," she answered, smiling wryly.

Klaus did not understand, at first. But when he took a step closer, he saw the bandage at her throat. And she was walking with a slight wince. It did not take long for him to put the pieces together.

_Last night...flowing white robe...outstretched arms...not my blood..._

He opened his mouth, horrified.

"It's okay!" Bonnie spoke quickly, touching her neck. "It's almost healed. My magic's pretty good at that. I'm fine."

But Klaus stepped away, aghast. "What did I _do?"_

"Nothing," she insisted, "nothing bad."

"But I hurt you."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You gave me a scratch. I'm stronger than you know."

He rubbed at his forehead in distress. "Why were you even - what happened?"

Bonnie sucked in a breath. "_A lot_'s happened. You may want to sit down."

He could still hardly believe she was here. Her hair was slightly tousled from the wind and her cheeks were bright with exercise. She looked real. This was _real._

But so was her "scratch". He felt queasy just contemplating how she'd gotten that.

_I did that. Why did she stay after I did that?_

Bonnie looked unperturbed by his close inspection, but he knew she must be hiding her fear.

Still, he accepted her offer to talk and they both sat down on the sofa.

"So, don't freak out, but Elijah and Tyler swung by."

* * *

Bonnie was hopeful. So far, Klaus hadn't given way to any angry outbursts. He was getting better at reining in his temper. He obviously didn't look pleased when he heard that Rebekah had left with _Abby,_ of all people. But he...well, he was trying to come to terms, in his own way.

"I can see what Mikael saw in your mother. His own conniving reflection," he muttered moodily.

"Well, it was Rebekah who wanted to go with her."

"And I am sure your mother's hands were tied."

"Fair enough. For what it's worth, I think your sister will be safe."

Klaus smiled at that. "Perhaps she will do me a favor and remove Abby Bennett's head for me."

"Klaus!"

"I'm only making suggestions."

"How about you _don't?"_

"You still love that woman? After she betrayed you?" he questioned, watching her intently.

"I - of course."

"Why? _How?"_

"She's my mother."

"No. Esther is my mother and I would gladly rip her heart from her chest without batting an eyelid. Mothers have nothing to do with this."

Bonnie mulled over his words. She remembered what Vision-Klaus had told her. Well, what she had told herself, more accurately.

"Maybe...maybe my heart is big enough to contain her. Faults and all."

Klaus had nothing to say to that, thankfully.

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from leaving. But you know, I think they're all trying to help. Even Tyler."

He snorted. "Considering you let my wolf run along with him, I _should_ hope so."

Bonnie blushed. "I know it wasn't my place to -"

"It's my fault," he dismissed her. "I left a do-gooder in charge."

"I'm not a do-gooder."

He raised a critical eyebrow at her.

_"Fine._ But it was the right move. They'll stand with us. I know it."

"That is certainly noble of you, love. But I wouldn't bank on their wholehearted support."

"Why not?"

"You are too trusting. People are not loyal because they _want_ to be. I know you don't agree, but allegiance is _learned. _That was the whole point of siring hybrids. They might learn to follow you of their own will, in time. But first, you must induce them."

"You gave Tony the choice to leave," she argued.

"Yes. After he'd already _learned_ to be devoted."

"I don't think you believe that. Not entirely."

Klaus wavered. "I don't want to talk about it, love."

Bonnie sighed. That was too bad. Because the subject could not be avoided any longer. If she didn't tell him soon, she was going to explode.

"I need to tell you something. And I'm afraid after I do...everything might change," she paused, biting her lip anxiously.

Klaus turned to her, eyes flashing with concern. He took hold of one of her hands. "It's all right."

Bonnie lost her train of thought. She couldn't help relishing the warmth of his skin. His palms were rough, but firm. She felt safe.

But she was getting distracted. She removed her hand.

"No...I'm not sure it's all right. But here goes nothing. I - I'm a hybrid. And I can sire hybrids."

In the first few moments, nothing happened. His face was a blank wall. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. He didn't even blink.

"What?" he managed, at length. "What do you mean?"

Bonnie winced. "Remember how your blood never left my system because we accidentally bonded? Abby explained it to me. You need three magical roots to be a hybrid. I'm a witch, with werewolf and vampire blood inside of me. I'm a hybrid."

Klaus shook his head several times. "No. No. No, no."

"I...obviously haven't tried it. I haven't tried siring, but I'm guessing it would work," she said, with a sharp intake. "And last night, after you bit me, I healed faster than I should have."

Klaus rose from the sofa abruptly.

"No. No. This can't be happening."

Bonnie chuckled sadly. "It's kind of a role reversal, isn't it?"

"Don't _jest._ This - this is _wrong._ We must undo this," he muttered, pacing the room frantically. "There must be a way to undo it. It can't _be."_

Bonnie frowned, watching him with increasing suspicion. He was visibly upset, and that...bothered her for some reason.

"Why is it so wrong?"

"Bonnie, you can't be serious. You don't know what this entails. I forbid it. You _cannot_ be a hybrid."

"Why not?" she found herself arguing. She didn't know why she was getting riled up. She knew it was wrong. She had never wanted to be a hybrid. The idea that she had this poison in her bloodstream turned up her stomach. But it _had_ happened, and there was no point denying it, was there?

"Tony is a hybrid and you don't think _that's_ wrong."

"He can't sire his own line! But you've got _me_ flowing through your veins."

"Don't worry, I can promise I won't use my powers like _you_," she said, somewhat bitterly.

"This isn't about that!"

"Isn't it? Then why are you so upset?"

"Because you've just told me you are Klaus Mikaelson!_"_

"But you're no longer a hybrid! And - and that's what kills you, doesn't it? That I am what you once were?"

"You have _no_ idea what you're talking about."

"I think I do. I think you're angry I took your throne."

Klaus stared at her as if he'd been slapped in the face. And then, he cocked his head to the side and laughed. It was his old laugh, cruel and cold and empty. She didn't like it.

"You don't know me at all."

Before she could say anything else, he had walked out of the parlor.

* * *

She found him by the small clearing at the back of the house. It was the same spot where Dyaba had appeared to her, when he had returned home. Perhaps it didn't mean much, but she caught herself smiling at the memory anyway.

Klaus was snapping twigs between his fingers. Some of them were small, some were solid, thick branches. He seemed intent on destroying as much as he could get his hands on. His werewolf temper was showing at last.

He must have heard her approach, but he didn't turn his back. He went on in the same fashion for several moments. At length, he lost his patience.

"What do you want?"

Bonnie pulled a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I think we may have gotten off track back there."

_"We?_ It was you who jumped to foolish conclusions," he returned sulkily.

"I didn't -" She stopped a took a deep breath. _"Look,_ this wasn't easy for me, telling you what I am..."

"Why?" he taunted. "Because the big bad wolf would use it against you?"

She bristled. "No. That's not it."

"Yes, it is. You think all I care about is my _throne._ You made that clear. You think I'm jealous. I bet you even think I would make you sire hybrids for me."

Bonnie faltered. She would be lying if she said the thought hadn't crossed her mind. But he was different now. She _knew_ he wouldn't do it. She didn't have to wonder.

"You're wrong. I just wanted you to be more supportive," she said, after a few beats.

_"Supportive?"_ he echoed with disdain.

"I don't know, Klaus! When you find out you're this really powerful creature that everybody hates you might need a shoulder to lean on!"

His back stiffened, but he remained silent.

"I'm _sorry_ if I jumped to conclusions, but you didn't exactly deny them!" she continued, incensed.

"Do you even _know_ why I'm so angry? Do you know why I cannot stand the notion of you being a hybrid?"

His voice was eerily quiet.

Bonnie shivered in her boots. She waited with bated breath.

"It used to be just me. The Original Hybrid. _One_ monster in the world. And it was enough. But now, I find out I've created a second monster with my own hands. My blood _made_ you. I have taken something _good_ and I have turned it into the worst thing in the world; me_. _Do you know what that feels like?"

Bonnie felt a pang in her chest. She did, she did know. She had been there with him. She remembered his words in the dungeon._ "I cannot do this to you. You are good."_

And suddenly she felt so stupid, so stupid for doubting him even a moment. How could she have been so _blind?_ The answer was staring her in the face.

She wanted to go to him, but she was afraid she might alienate him more.

"It feels like shame and relief," he answered for her. "Shame that I've done this to you. Relief that there's another like me. Isn't that despicable?"

He laughed again, but this time it was not a spiteful laugh. It was sad and resigned.

"You're wrong. You're wrong about everything," she started shakily.

"Ah, of course I am."

_"No. _Shut up. Have you ever considered that Tony isn't loyal to you just because you _taught_ him? Have you ever considered that Elijah and Rebekah love you without coercion? Have you ever considered _I_ care about you, regardless of this bond?"

_"Don't_ -"

"You think you made me worse. You think you tainted my goodness. But you're the one who brought it out. You may not be good, Klaus, but you bring out the _best_ in people. You make yourself the monster and choose darkness, so everyone else can stand in the light. And I'm sorry it took me such a long time to see it. But I _won't_ make that mistake again. I won't let you go back to what you were. I'm a hybrid, and I can't do this alone. I - I need you. And I think you need me too."

Bonnie could not see his face, but his shoulders were shaking with the effort to stand still.

"You...you deserve a worthy partner, Bonnie Bennett," he said hoarsely.

"I don't want a worthy partner. I want you."

His head snapped back to her in shock. His mouth was parted in disbelief. His eyes were trying not to betray his hope. But she stared back at him with all the feelings she had repressed for so long.

It took only two strides to reach her. Before she knew what was happening, Klaus had cupped both her cheeks and was crushing her lips with his mouth. His kiss was frantic and desperate. Just like the bite, he was pouring himself into her. It made her legs go weak and her heart stammer in her chest. She brought her hands to the back of his neck just to keep herself standing and responded with equal fervor. She realized she had yearned for this. She opened her mouth against his and tasted his tongue. She felt breathless.

One hand was lost in her hair, the other was gripping her back and he held her like he would never let go. She did not want him to.


	27. the boyfriend

_A/N: Hi! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry for my absence, my life got a bit hectic in the last few weeks. I was also not feeling very well, so writing wasn't exactly on my mind, sadly. I'm back now, hopefully for a longer stay! I was floored that last chapter got so many reviews! You must like kissing :) Well, you're in luck, because this chapter has quite a bit of kissing in it. As always, your lovely reviews make my day brighter. Please keep being wonderful! _

_Thanks to **Azera-v, MaloryArcher, MauvaiseFille, lalororo5, Tati11, TheHedgeRider, Guest1** (thank you! yes, they finally did!), **abdulkadir** **zubeyda, negrobarc, thefudge is grumpy, PracticallyCharmed, LeilaniStar, DancesWithButterflies, Narutofangirl45, TheOneTrueBear, LadyLuckAJ, KarukMomma, Lady Maurelle**, **Lybhi** (thank you, I loved how you summed it up, that there should be a balanced measure of goodness and darkness in all of us, and choices, of course, determine who we are. Speaking of which, there's a section in this chapter about that you might like!), **Guest2** (haha, please don't, though, but thanks!), **freckled98, cice527, NonTimetisMessor, Babaksmiles, Gabby **(I'm so glad it was worth the wait! you captured Klaus' inner turmoil very well in your review, and of course, his insecurities haven't vanished, but slowly, these two will build something special!), **Izzie Jackson, Innocence vs immortality, eva505, Guest3** (thank you so much!), **Guest4** (ah, you don't know how much that means to me! I'm so glad Klaus hasn't come off as OOC and has been allowed to grow without losing his Original touch? He's such a fascinating character because he's so full of contradictions. And yes, more hot moments will follow :), **bluemagicrose,** **Eddieizzie, namika ashara, Guest5** (haha, aren't we all? It will come...sooner than you think), **Anastasia-G, Guest6** (Yes!), **wonderinthru** (*joins your parade* I'm so happy this chapter was fangirl-worthy, I'm flattered! I'm glad you enjoyed both the angst and the sweetness and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint in the fangirl department),** Cmechillin, brownbagel, Guest7** (I totally know what you mean, and this chapter might make you happy :) Also, thank you!), **bellavida0213, Guest8** (sorry to keep you waiting!)_

_This chapter is a bit shorter because I thought these two deserve a bit of a breather and more sweet times together before the plot gets moving. _

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Bonnie wondered, breathless and euphoric, whether she had ever felt like this before. She'd pecked a few boys in middle-school and half-heartedly made out with her freshman-year prom date, but it wasn't until Jeremy that kissing began to _feel_ like something. And Jer…those kisses had been like a pleasant rush. In the middle of planning and fighting for Elena's life and ironically, fighting Klaus himself, she had sought comfort in Jeremy and he had sought comfort in her. Then, he cheated on her. And it had felt like a punch to the stomach. But she would be lying to herself if she did not admit that their brief romance had already been on the rocks by that point.

Kissing Jeremy Gilbert had been an honest attempt at normalcy.

Kissing Klaus Mikaelson was anything but normal, yet it felt so _right_. She was almost afraid nothing would ever feel this right again.

The murderous hybrid - turned werewolf - turned lover. She should have laughed, but Klaus' mouth on hers rendered any such thoughts null and void. He was gripping her face so tight that she was certain he'd crush her jaw, yet she barely registered the danger, because his hold was making her stomach flutter like a bird in a cage. His fingers on her waist, pulling her to him so possessively, marked and burned her skin. She felt desired in a way that had never happened before. Her back hit the hard trunk of a tree. The cuts and wounds she'd suffered the previous night were forgotten. He devoured her mouth with such swift and precise need that she found it almost impossible to breathe. He seemed to swallow the very air from her lungs. She wondered, momentarily, if this is what Caroline and Elena felt when they kissed Damon or Stefan or Tyler…but Klaus seemed to erase all other men from her mind. Nothing mattered in that moment, not the hybrids, not Esther, no one…

His mouth trailed hot kisses down her throat, nipping and sucking the tender skin with unrestrained hunger. His hands roamed greedily over her hips, parting her legs almost unconsciously and settling between her legs. Her heart surged in her chest, both nervous and excited about the prospect. When Klaus dipped down and kissed the hollow behind her ear, she gave a shudder and her toes curled inside her boots. He was definitely not a high school boy. His hands did not fumble, his lips did not hesitate. And his physical ministrations could hardly be categorized as _gentle_. But there was, in his movements, in his kiss, something tender – like a fire that burned long into the night and could never be extinguished. She could not help the moan that passed her lips. Her reaction seemed to have a profound effect on him, because he raised her hip against his waist and kissed further down her collarbone with frightening urgency. She was panting, trying not to lose herself into this feeling, trying to stay afloat, but perhaps it was too late, perhaps she was drowning. In an effort to hold onto something solid, she raised her hands and sank her fingers into his locks. She realized she'd craved this – craved to touch his hair for a long time; she suspected few people had ever touched the Original's locks and lived to tell the tale. Klaus growled like a wolf, confirming her thoughts and, like a hungry pilgrim, he sought her lips again. His eyes – in the brief flash she saw before she was enveloped by his mouth – were black and empty. But it was not a cold emptiness; Klaus Mikaelson was so desperate to kiss her again and again and again… that he saw nothing else. And that thought made her giddy all over. When he caught her lower lip between his teeth and sucked on it savagely, she felt another strong shiver run down her spine.

She did not remove her hands from his hair and he seemed to enjoy her ministrations; it felt oddly _sensual_ to wrap her fingers around those locks and tug on them as his tongue assailed her mouth. There was almost a rhythm to their kissing now, a rhythm that stirred the ache she'd felt hours before in the dungeon. Yet this was different, because they were both free and unrestrained in the moment.

His hands were now playing with the hem of her shirt and when his fingers danced across her bare stomach, she gasped into his mouth, but did not stiffen or pull away. She could not imagine being separated from him right now, no matter how scared she might be. And she was _scared_, scared that she wouldn't be able to stop. His touch was reverent, but so ravenous. She needed time…to think…to process…everything was so _overwhelming _and wonderful, at the same time.

It was only when his thumb grazed the cotton fabric of her bra and his palm cupped her breast that she broke away from him and leaned her head against the tree.

Klaus' eyes instantly softened and his hands rested lightly, almost uncertainly, on her hips.

"I'm sorry, did I –"

"No, no, it's just, everything's happening so fast and I don't know if I'm ready –"

His expression grew tense, almost alarmed. She could feel his body fighting a silent battle; whether to stand still or step away. Bonnie couldn't help the laughter that escaped her lips.

"No, you idiot, I'm just a bit overwhelmed! I want to, um, do everything, but we've been through a lot today. And I…I haven't really, oh God, I sound like an idiot…I mean, you've been with hundreds of women and I'm kind of new to this, but –"

"None of them were you."

Bonnie's breath hitched in her throat. It was just his way – to say something so brutal and honest and deliver it so steadfastly. She remembered when he called her beautiful at the Mikaelson Ball. That had felt like years ago.

Something in her expression made him cup her face and kiss her with such affection and tenderness that she almost melted. She could feel his smile against her lips. The wolf's smile.

When he broke away, he leaned his forehead against hers and let out a shaky breath.

"I can't quite believe you're real."

Bonnie laughed again. "Why shouldn't I be?"

"Someone like you, strong enough, _good_ enough to – to want me without fear and hatred. I did not know you could exist."

Klaus took hold of her hands and clasped them to his chest. They looked so small in his. To think she had once thought he did not have a heart. Their fingers were intertwined in the moonlight. Bonnie had not even noticed when dusk had fallen, when night had come.

She bent down and kissed his fingers. "Now you know."

* * *

Bonnie Bennett had no way of knowing. She had brought his fingers to her mouth out of fondness. Strange how such a small gesture could undo him so quickly. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, and yet she had touched him further than he could have. She had etched a permanent stamp on his heart; she, the sweet, strong-willed witch who had taken his bloody, savage hands – the hands he had used to torture, maim, slaughter and rip to shreds – and made them whole again.

He was flooded with a deep melancholy. He should have been happy, should have rejoiced in her affection, yet he was immeasurably sad. It was a sweet sadness, like an ache that you knew you could never alleviate, but which made you feel alive. Why was he sad?

Bonnie smiled up at him shyly.

_Oh._

He had never experienced it quite like this. He had been infatuated in the past, several times actually. A hundred times he had professed adoration, a thousand times he had burned with passion. He had lived and died and lived some more, while paramours vanished and returned.

But all those times were eclipsed, dwarfed by this open gulf in his chest. He had never felt like this before; as if the gates had parted and he was running free.

He had been in love, but he had never _loved_.

And he loved her. He had waited all his endless life for her. And she had finally come. He loved her.

He would burn the world for her. And yet, he would put it back together, for her sake as well. She wouldn't even need to ask.

_My enemy. The witch that almost killed me. Twice. I love you._

A part of him simply wanted to hold her small hands in his, because that would be enough. Another part of him wanted nothing more than to devour her and bury himself inside her and make her scream his name over and over until they both lay spent in each other's arms. But that part could wait, had to wait. She was strong and stubborn and sometimes even terrifying, but she was innocent and he had to show restraint and control – something he had never been very good at. When she had shyly told him she'd never done this before, he'd almost wanted to have her against the tree, but love did funny things to you, love made you want to try. Because she had kissed his fingers.

* * *

"Does it still hurt?"

She shook her head and leaned into his arms gratefully. Bonnie had torn off her band-aid, seeing as the skin was almost intact again. Only a red blotch, like the mark of a scratch, was left as testimony of Klaus' bite.

She felt very strange, sitting there on the couch with him, but immensely comfortable too. She wondered if Klaus had ever "cuddled". It sounded wrong. Originals did not cuddle. He didn't seem to mind holding her to his chest, though. His fingers felt wonderful, rubbing slow circles up and down her arms.

"Um...this feels nice," she mumbled, embarrassed. _Are we a couple now? _she wanted to ask. _Not that I'm rushing. I don't want to define what we are. I'm not sure I even know. I mean, we just had our first kiss. _

She suddenly felt giggly and silly, like a fifteen-year old with a crush. She knew it was much more than that, but she was experiencing that same ebullience that makes people think they can fly.

Did she want Klaus to be her "boyfriend"? Again, it just sounded wrong. But she couldn't help tasting the word on her tongue.

_Boyfriend_.

Their lives were so complicated at the moment. Klaus was a wolf, she was a hybrid, and there was fresh danger around every corner. It just did not seem feasible to talk about a relationship in normal terms. But she could fantasize a little. She was still just a kid. A kid who'd been burdened with "greatness and responsibility", as Sheila would have put it, but still a kid, deep down.

"Yes, it is rather nice," he commented, kissing the top of her head. Bonnie hid her blush and started playing with the front of his shirt.

"Rather?" she teased.

"It is _very_ nice," he corrected, but she could feel him rolling his eyes. Not out of sarcasm. Out of fondness.

"What, you're not a fan of _snuggle_ time?" she teased further, in a saccharine tone of voice.

Klaus looked down at her amused and kissed the top of her nose. "What on Earth is 'snuggle time'?"

"It's the best part of the day. Dad and I used to do it when he came home from work. It was our small ritual."

"...am I your father in this scenario?"

She beat him with her fist. "That's not what I meant."

Klaus smirked, twirling one of her curls around his finger. "I suppose I would enjoy having that kind of authority over you."

This time, she hit him hard in the chest. He chuckled.

"No more snuggle time for you," she protested, trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but he pulled her back down with superior strength and planted a silencing kiss on her lips.

When she came up for breath, he was looking down at her with a strange expression on his face.

"What?"

"What if – what if I – "

"Spit it out, Klaus."

He turned sideways, trying to summon the proper words. "Those charitable words you said about me, love."

"They weren't charitable - " she began to protest, but he shook his head.

"No, I know you believed them. But what if, one day, you will realize you're wrong? What if I prove them right?"

"Prove who?"

"Mother. Mikael. Everyone."

Bonnie nervously raised her fingers and caressed his jaw. It still felt so surreal to be this close to him. He felt so warm and feral, yet he was so pliable and soft - he closed his eyes under her touch.

His body was towering over hers; he was practically straddling her on the couch, and yet she felt as if she had all of the power.

"What if you decide, one day, I'm not worth saving and you join the other side? The side that thinks I'm better off dead."

Bonnie considered the question carefully. Klaus was all about honesty. He could sense deceit, or pity. She had to assure him, without giving him any false illusions.

"If I ever did something so...well, _dumb_, and I'm not saying I would! But if I ever did something like that..." she trailed off.

"Yes?"

"I know you wouldn't hurt me. You wouldn't try to keep me by your side against my will. You'd let me make my own choices. You've done that already."

Klaus placed a warm hand over her fingers which still lingered on his jaw. "And you still think I would?"

Bonnie shrugged. "_You_ were never given many choices, were you? I think you value freedom, not only in yourself, but in others too."

He smiled, although it was half sweet, half sad. "I've made hybrids, you forget."

"Because you didn't think you could have the real thing. Just answer me this, Klaus. If you could choose, would you have me as your sired, obedient hybrid, or would you have me as I am?"

"_Technically_, I did indirectly make you my hy-"

She nudged him in the ribs.

He sighed. "You already know the answer to that, my little witch."

She stuck out her lower lip. "I'm not little or your witch. And of course I know. I know everything."

"Ah, Bonnie Bennett the Wise."

She rolled her eyes. "It doesn't take calculus to figure out you want people to want you freely. Hell, you kissed half my face off when I said it."

"Don't tempt your luck or I might do it again."

Bonnie shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. "You know, there's a war going on. We have more pressing matters to consider."

She was a hybrid, for one. How were they going to deal with that? Would he really come to terms with everything it meant? Would she?

Klaus traced her lips with his thumb and parted them gently. He lowered his mouth on hers. "Later."

She tended to agree. Pressing matters could wait.

Bonnie sighed into his kiss. Klaus Mikaelson was _ridiculously_ good at this.

* * *

She was so small, so incredibly delicious under him, and he wanted to have her in all ways possible - in fact, he yearned for the time when he _would_ \- but he also wanted his little witch to never fear him again.

Because she was right. She had to come to him willingly. She had already done so much.

He plunged into the kiss, imagining the day, the hour when Bonnie Bennett would give herself to him entirely.

She was stronger than him now, a hybrid. He could not break her if he tried. The thought inflamed him, made him choke up with hunger.

He could let his desires run loose. He could possess her like no one else.

She would be his.

But it would go beyond possession, wouldn't it? Beyond the carnal, too.

She would be his and he would be hers, and they would be _whole._

* * *

_A/N: So, I know what you're thinking. When are these two going to go at it? Pretty soon, actually :) I know some of you expected sexy times right away but I feel they should get acclimated to each other first. Plus, Bonnie, canonically at this point, is a virgin and they need a biiiiit more time to get things going. However, a big event will propel them to give into some heated, passionate moments very soon! Anyway, see you next time!_


	28. the grimoire

_A/N: Welcome back! Not a very fast update, I know, but at least it's within range of a month :) There's a lot of plot and action coming up, so I'm trying to pace it out evenly and not overwhelm you. Lots of Klonnie goodness too, of course :)_

_ I can't believe we're close to 600 reviews, this is such a dream! As always, a million thanks to **Guest1** (thank you, you're so right! I hope they manage to retain their essence, while still being able to change each other in meaningful ways), **zubeyda, lalororo5, thefudge** **is grumpy, TheOneTrueBear, Lady Maurelle, DancesWithButterflies, Anastasia-G, guest2** (thank you! and oh yes, that line did funny things to my heart too), **MaloryArcher,** **princess-snow510, AmoraLee, toooldforfanfic, Guest3** (I'm so glad you did! I love their makeouts too, and there are more of those coming, I promise. I'm so glad Klaus doesn't seem OOC just because he's found love. Thank you!),** Innocence vs immortality, naye30, namika ashara, Izzie Jackson, bbrownsugar, LeilaniStar, guest4** (yes, it is :) Oh, they won't be too pleased), **negrobarc, cice527, LadyLuckAJ, freckled98, Narutofangirl45, shauna9402, eva505, Babaksmiles, Touchofmagicxo, mizgardenia21, TheHedgeRider, MoceJo, bluemagicrose, bellavida0213, lovers45, Ayami1567.**_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

The woods whispered sadly all around them. The sky was low with dark clouds. But the rain, if it came, could not wash away the damage.

Tyler crouched down and fingered the dry leaves. They were gathered in small heaps in the empty spaces where magic hadn't reached them.

The magical lines crisscrossed the ground violently. They looked like boiling gashes, wounds inflicted upon a defiant body.

Tony was digging a few shallow graves some feet away. Tyler would have told him it was pointless. There was little to bury; only charred remains, broken bones, and some bits of hair. But he stayed quiet, because the old pack deserved this last gesture.

This was the third camping site Dyaba had led them to. It was settled on Lakota territory which, Tony had informed him, was sacred.

Esther's crime was that more repulsive.

So far, they had encountered no living hybrids. Only dead ones. Tyler could recognize none of their remains, although…

He had counted the corpses along the way. Klaus' old pack had numbered up to thirty-six hybrids. He had been the first born, he should know. But so far, they'd only found around thirty carcasses. Barring him and Tony, that left four old hybrids who had possibly escaped the massacres.

Tony wouldn't hear it, though. He was as gloomy as Tyler had ever known him. He shoveled earth silently, his face a blank mask.

Tyler crushed the leaves in his hand. He couldn't blame Tony for refusing to have hope, but he could've used his stupid optimism right about now. He felt like crying, although his eyes were dry as stones. His anger was a distant thing. He had been thrown into this makeshift pack against his will, and he'd gone in search of it when he'd heard what happened at the Mikaelson Ball. His life ever since had been a never-ending road trip. And it had all amounted to nothing. He'd lost them, this sad band of brothers. By all means, he should have felt _relieved_. After all, he'd never wanted this. Never wanted to be one of Klaus' little pawns. But if he were given a choice right now – undo the Original's "gift" and go back to being a werewolf – he wasn't sure he'd choose right.

He kicked the ground despondently. His phone went off all of a sudden.

He looked down and saw Caroline's name flash across the screen. A deep pang made his chest constrict. He missed her. He missed home. Now more than ever.

Caught off-guard, he raised the phone to his ear and answered.

"Tyler? Tyler, are you there?"

"…hey, Care."

"I've been calling you for weeks! Why did you never answer me? Do you know how worried I've been!? Where are you right now? Are you okay?"

"Slow down, Care, I'm fine, I just – I had to leave for a while."

"You don't leave like that, Tyler! Not on me!"

"I know, I'm sorry, I wanted to talk to you before I left, but –" He paused. His apology felt hollow to his ears.

"But _what_? You forgot my number? You lost your ability to speak?"

"We're not together anymore, are we? I didn't owe you an explanation." He shouldn't have said that. He regretted the words immediately. Perhaps his anger wasn't a distant thing after all.

But he was right, on a technical level. Caroline had distanced herself from him when he'd joined Klaus' hybrids. They'd fallen apart. He didn't blame her. He'd been much more infatuated with his "maker" back then.

He heard the catch in her voice when she spoke next.

"You kissed me on my birthday, then you attacked Bonnie, and then you vanished. I think you owe me _every_ explanation."

"You're right. And I wish I could give you one… But I meant what I told you on your birthday." _I'm not moving on from anything. I love you._

"If you cared about me as you say you do, you'd come home," she replied, her voice shaking on the last words.

"I can't. I want to. But I can't."

"_Why_?"

"After what I did –"

"To Bonnie? Tyler, Bonnie's _gone_. She's disappeared with Klaus. And we still haven't found her or Klaus, and we're all going _sick_ with worry, because God knows what that monster's done to her!"

Tyler winced at her words. _Yeah_, he thought ruefully, _he's made her fall for him._

"Of course," she continued erratically, "Damon thinks she's in cahoots with him and _ugh_, you won't believe the things he's saying! That he's seduced her, or - or worse!"

Tyler scratched at a glob of mud under his boots. He wondered if Caroline knew just how right Damon was.

"He's planting doubt in everyone's head," she went on passionately, "I don't want to believe any of that crap, but it's not looking good, Tyler. Even Stefan's having second thoughts. The least you could do is come home and _help_."

Tyler sighed into the phone. "You don't know how much I want to, Care. I hate to think you're facing this alone, and I promise I will return soon –"

"_Soon_? Bonnie's in trouble and you're telling me you're unavailable?"

"That's not fair, Caroline, I'm trying to set things right –"

"Then come back!"

"I can't! Not yet!"

There was a pause at the other end of the line.

"Where are you right now?"

"Out of state. It's complicated," he replied warily. "Werewolf business."

"But you're a hybrid. Shouldn't you be with..." she trailed off, losing momentum.

Then suddenly, her voice screamed into his ear. "_TYLER_. If you know something about Bonnie or Klaus, you have to tell me right now. Right now!"

"I don't –"

"Is she with you?! Have you seen her?! What has Klaus done –"

He hung up on her. It was cowardly and foolish, but he couldn't take it anymore. He was too tempted to tell her everything he knew and that'd be even more foolish.

He was breathing hard, trying to keep his emotions at bay.

"Who was that?" Tony inquired, coming out of the clearing, mud caked on his boots and jeans.

"No one," Tyler muttered, walking past him.

"Hope you're not talking to your little girlfriend while we're burying our _dead_."

Tyler measured him with an angry stare. "Leave it alone."

"I'll leave it alone when you answer me straight –"

"I didn't tell her anything. Happy?"

"Sounds like you told her enough."

Tyler pushed him up against a tree. "What do you want, Tony? I lost the pack. I may have lost the girl I love. And you're still on my back. What do you want?"

Tony darted his head sideways. He didn't put up much of a fight. He didn't even seem to care that Tyler's hands were clutching his jacket. His mouth drooped down into a dull frown.

"I'm sorry. Old habits die hard."

Tyler held onto his lapels for a while longer. It seemed like only moments ago they'd been on opposite teams. But they'd been traveling together for almost five days now. He should've known this was just Tony's way of hurting.

He let go of him and took a step back.

"She'll pay. Esther. She'll pay for this."

The conviction in his voice was lacking, but the desire to inflict violence was palpable. Tony felt it too. They would've both ripped her head off if she was standing there. And they wouldn't have looked back.

They carried out the rest of the burial in silence. Tony's shoulders shook as he finished the last mound. Tyler knew the tremor had nothing to do with exhaustion.

They said no prayers, no goodbyes. Just stood by the side of the graves and watched the clouds gathering.

"Let's head back."

Dyaba was waiting obediently by the car. Tyler had grown more or less accustomed to the funny wolf, but he still didn't take any chances of being alone with him. It was bad enough he had to watch it run alongside the car at impossible speeds. The creature was far too sentient for his liking.

Case in point, Dyaba now wore a disturbingly sympathetic expression on his face as he nuzzled Tony's hand.

Tyler's phone thrummed ominously. Tony raised his head before opening the driver's seat. "Now what?"

Tyler read the text message. It was from Caroline.

_U should know Kol and Finn have been hunting and killing – YES KILLING – Jeremy and Alaric, and they were only saved by the Gilbert rings. ALSO, THOSE FREAKS HAVE MAGIC NOW. EXPLAIN. I KNOW U KNOW! PLS TYLER! IM NOT MAD AT U, JUST PLS TELL ME THE TRUTH. _

Tyler rested a hand against the car roof. "Shit."

"Trouble in Mystic Falls?"

"Something like that."

A new message had appeared on his screen.

_Pls tell Bonnie about Jeremy. I know she still cares about him. Pls come home._

* * *

Abby let the tap run as she sat down on the edge of the tub. Perhaps a bath was a luxury she didn't deserve, but she was too bone-tired to stand up and take a shower.

She could hear Rebekah scrambling through the mini-bar. She sighed, massaging her weary temples. The girl would be the death of her. She already regretted her noble gesture. Her new ward was proving to be a real burden. She'd told her to stay put and sober, because they would have a lot of road to cover the following day. Had Rebekah listened? Of course _not_. She'd already downed a martini (or two) at the hotel bar. Now, she was probably indulging in the mini-vodkas from the fridge.

"Don't you think you've had enough alcohol for one night?" she shouted.

"I can hold my liquor just fine, thank you!" Rebekah shouted back.

"You're not a vampire anymore! That stuff will go straight to your head."

"Just relax and have your bath! I'll be splendid!"

Before Abby could protest, she heard her turn the TV on. A grating pop song blasted out at an unorthodox volume.

"Turn that down! Do you want the whole place to hear us?"

Her ward evidently ignored her. She heard her dancing around the room, jumping up and down on the beds, singing the lyrics to the song.

Abby sighed a deep sigh. Rebekah Mikaelson was a runaway teenager who had finally escaped her overbearing family. To her, this was a party, or a holiday.

She'd have to pull the rug from underneath her soon. Things were going to get more difficult from here on out. But…she didn't have the heart to go interrupt her festivities. Not tonight.

Abby ran her fingers across the water's surface. Her thoughts turned, reluctantly, to Mikael. She remembered a hotel room, out of state, just like this one. They'd been meeting in secret behind everyone's back. Faithful, loving Rudy had had no idea. She rubbed her eyes at the memory. She was not very proud of those times. But she had been happy, briefly.

She sank slowly into the steaming tub and closed her eyes, relishing the almost suffocating warmth.

When she opened her eyes again, a dark figure was standing before her.

She almost screamed.

Rebekah touched her clammy shoulder.

"You fell asleep. Which is incredibly stupid _and_ dangerous."

Abby pushed her hand away, but she was careful not to rise out of the water. She was still stark naked. She hoped she wasn't blushing. That would be mortifying.

"Finished your little dance party?" she asked, more to hide her embarrassment.

Rebekah crossed her arms. "Hours ago. I called your name. I tried knocking too. You were out like a light."

"Well. I'm surprised I _could_ sleep with all that noise."

The Original pursed her lips. "It wasn't that loud. Excuse me for living a little."

"You've _lived_ _a_ _little_ for centuries."

"That was different. I was immortal. Now I'm a brand new person. The old me is gone." Her tone was light and her smile gave nothing away, but Abby could read her like a book. The girl was trying so hard to forget that "old me".

"Is there any of that mini-vodka left?" she asked all of a sudden.

Rebekah looked nonplussed. "Why?"

"I could use a night-cap."

The girl darted her head awkwardly. "I'll go fetch some from the fridge."

Abby rose from the bath and wrapped a towel around her body. Her feet stumbled on the wet tiles. She'd grown numb in the tub. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Rebekah was holding up a thin bottle of something called "Snow Queen".

Abby walked to one of the cabinets and pulled out two clunky pint glasses. They'd have to do. She _felt_ more than saw Rebekah following her every movement. She wondered, absently, if the towel fell a bit too short down her thighs. She was revealing more leg than was necessary for someone over thirty.

But she couldn't retreat now.

She poured a splash of "Snow Queen" in both glasses and handed one to the girl.

"Cheers."

Rebekah looked almost shy as she raised her own glass. "Cheers."

They both gulped down the drinks without much forethought. Abby instantly felt woozy. Her mouth was burning, and her head was full of bad memories. She had to get Mikael out of her head.

_Funny_. Rebekah probably had the same problem.

They each sat down on their separate beds, holding their empty glasses. Rebekah was contemplating a spot on the floor.

"I miss the taste of blood."

Abby lifted her head in alarm.

Rebekah chuckled. "No, no. Not like that. I feel this ghost hunger. I know it's not real. I don't crave blood anymore, but...people lose limbs and still feel their absence afterwards. Does that make sense?"

"Not in the slightest," Abby replied firmly. She didn't like this kind of talk.

"Anyway," she shrugged coolly. "Maybe it's the vodka. I'm turning mawkish and sentimental. I was always a weepy drunk."

"I hope you're not about to cry," Abby warned.

Rebekah laughed. "No, I don't intend to do that. I'm excited about tomorrow actually. You said it's an island?"

"…yes. Off the coast of Nova Scotia. Very remote. There won't be any partying there."

"You forget, _I'm_ the party. Or I used to be, back in the day."

Abby rolled her eyes. "You'll have to behave. The clan we'll be visiting is very old and very easy to upset."

"Don't worry. I've handled Nik at his worst. The old hags can't be tetchier than him."

"I hope you don't plan on calling them _old hags_."

"Not to their faces, no."

Abby suppressed a smile. Rebekah Mikaelson was a chore. But no one could say she was a _boring_ one.

* * *

Bonnie pushed the blood bag away for the umpteenth time.

"I told you, I don't have any cravings!"

Klaus pursed his lips, looking almost offended by her refusal to drink blood. He folded his arms stubbornly. "You don't know until you try."

Bonnie's nostrils flared. They'd been a "couple" for roughly seventy-two hours and he was already getting on her nerves. Typical.

"I'm _not_ Tony. I'm not like any of your hybrids."

"We won't know conclusively until..." he trailed off, wagging the blood bag in front of her.

"Stop it! I'm not a vampire or a werewolf, okay?"

"Yet, you have both of those roots inside you thanks to my blood. I'm only trying to see if they could be triggered," he argued calmly, as if he was proposing the most reasonable thing in the world.

Bonnie slammed one of the old tomes against the desk.

"Klaus! You'd _want_ me to trigger those roots?"

"Careful, that's ancient! Worth more than this house too," he pleaded, eyeing the volume she was abusing.

Bonnie raised a critical eyebrow.

He sighed. "_Of_ _course_ I don't want you turning into a creature of the night! I've made my feelings about that very clear. Haven't I?"

Bonnie blushed, busying herself with uncapping a nearby pen. They were sitting in the library, doing some "hybrid" research, as Klaus had put it.

"So, then?" she demanded. "Why are you pushing me?"

He caressed the spine of the folio he was perusing. "I don't want anything catching us by surprise. If those roots can be triggered…I want them to happen _here_, where I'm able to protect you. Imagine if you discovered an insatiable lust for blood while you were _alone_."

Bonnie tried to push down the butterflies in her stomach. His mixture of pragmatism and affection always left her feeling a little heady. "I'm still not drinking that." She swiped the blood bag with her hand.

Klaus clicked his tongue. "I suppose we'll try again later."

Bonnie rested her chin on the yellowed parchment in front of her. "I can't find anything on my condition. I mean, there doesn't seem to be any records about a hybrid witch."

"I'm not faring any better," he replied, tossing the folio aside. "I suppose the answers are out there somewhere."

"My mom is trying to…" she trailed off, not knowing how to explain it to Klaus. But he already seemed to know, since he nodded his head.

"She told me she planned on finding out more about the bond."

"Oh. You guys talked?"

"It was an extremely short and _unpleasant_ conversation."

"You don't say."

"Poor Anthony was still unconscious and that woman was trying to harangue me."

"Runs in the Bennett line, I guess," she muttered amused.

Klaus lifted his head. "You're the only Bennett whose…_impudence_ I tolerate."

"Just tolerate?"

His eyes brightened visibly. "Well. Sometimes I even like it. But only sometimes."

Bonnie smiled a small smile. And then, she remembered something.

"How about that old Grimoire? You know, the one your friend, Gloria, stole?"

Klaus cocked his head to the side. "Not a bad idea. Hybridity really has improved your perspicacity."

Bonnie pretended to throw the thick tome at his head. But she secretly liked that Klaus was back at his old cajoling self. And anyway, she couldn't really lift the damn thing. Or could she? Might she secretly possess the strength of a vampire or werewolf? No, her muscles protested at the weight. She didn't feel any different. If her mother was right, she'd been a hybrid since the moment Klaus' blood had stayed in her system. That had been weeks ago. And no alterations had occurred.

Yes, she could heal faster. Klaus' bite had closed up pretty quickly, but her own magic had surely helped. Was he right, though? Could those roots be triggered? And what would happen if they did? Would she start acting like a vampire, or a werewolf?

_Better not think about it, _another useful motto she had recently adopted. Because, if she thought about it more, she might reach the conclusion that she could only test her new nature by…well, making other hybrids. And _that_ was off-limits, wasn't it?

Klaus had already gone up to her room to fetch the Grimoire. Bonnie panicked for a moment. Had she left any embarrassing articles of clothing lying around? But when he returned to the library, he betrayed no mirth. In fact, he looked perturbed.

"What happened?"

"It's gone."

"_What_?" Bonnie rose precipitately. "What do you mean gone? It has to be there!"

"Search for yourself, love. I couldn't find it."

Bonnie brushed past him and ran up the stairs. Klaus followed quickly behind.

"That's….impossible…" she kept muttering.

She went over every nook and cranny. She checked the bathroom cabinet and under the bed. Klaus was right. The Grimoire had just vanished.

"_Think_, Bonnie. Who has been in your room recently, beside you?"

"No one, I was alone –"

But she stopped dead when she realized that wasn't exactly true. The morning everyone had left the safe house, her mother…

"Abby woke me up. She told me to come downstairs."

Klaus' lips thinned in anger. "Unbelievable."

He gripped the back of a chair until it seemed to bend in half. "That vile woman has breached your trust for the last time. When I find her, I will tear her to _pieces_."

Bonnie shook her head. "What would she want with that Grimoire? She has her own."

The Original scowled viciously. "Isn't it obvious she has no regard for anyone but herself?"

"Klaus. Remember how you didn't know who that Grimoire belonged to? Maybe…maybe Abby recognized it."

"And she didn't think to tell you, her daughter?" he scoffed.

Bonnie sighed. "Maybe she thought it was dangerous."

"All the more reason to tell you," he argued indignantly. But Bonnie was not really paying attention. She sat down on the bed and clasped her palms in deep thought.

"I remember looking through it so many times…I can still see the pages. I'm trying to think of something specific, like a spell or a ritual, but...but I'm coming up short."

Klaus' murderous expression faltered. He crossed the room in two steps and crouched down by her side.

"You're not going to blame yourself for this, are you, love?"

Bonnie looked up into his eyes. "Maybe."

"You know that's foolish."

"It's just, I shouldn't have let it out of my sight, I got distracted by everyone leaving, and I –"

Klaus made a disapproving noise at the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl. He pulled her into his arms. "Enough of that. You've got a penchant for self-blame. I won't allow it."

"I should have been paying attention. I usually do," she mumbled into his shirt. Recent events had changed that a little. She didn't regret them, but she was wondering what else she'd missed.

"The only person to blame here is that wretched mother of yours. We'll get the Grimoire back. And I will make her pay for this, I promise."

She rested her cheek on his chest. "You know, violence isn't the answer to everything."

"It's been working fine for me for the past millennia."

Bonnie frowned. "We're secluded in the middle of nowhere without friends or family. You're a werewolf, I'm a hybrid. We don't even know what that means. And we've probably lost a important Grimoire. How has this been working _fine_?"

Klaus smirked with superiority. "The part where we are confined to a house by ourselves, of course."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, this was your plan all along?"

"Among several." He kissed her lips gently, lingering at the corner of her mouth. "I should call Anthony and check what he's found."

"Should we be worried about phones being tracked?"

"If Dyaba's still with them, that shouldn't be a concern. If he's not…well, we only have Tyler to blame for that, I'm sure."

"You shouldn't be so hard on him. He offered to help Tony."

"That's his front story. But who knows what he's actually plotting, the ungrateful runt?"

Bonnie sighed. "Some of us don't have time for schemes, Klaus."

The Original shook his head. He ran his thumb against her cheek. "I believe you when you say not everyone is out to get me, love. But you should believe me when I say you're far too innocent for your own good."

Bonnie tilted her head, leaning into his touch. She felt those butterflies swarming up again, causing a maelstrom in her stomach. She bridged the gap between them and let her fingers rest on his throat. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Before he could kiss her, however, she drew back. "If I'm so innocent, maybe we should postpone this little session and get back to our research. We can even practice some Aramaic. You were going to teach me, weren't you?"

She slipped out of his arms with a smile before he could stop her.

Klaus groaned. "You are rather wicked, after all."

* * *

"I'm going to freeze soon!" Rebekah moaned, huddling under the far too thin raincoat. Abby had already cast several warming spells over them, but the temperature had dropped beyond all reason.

It was going to grow dark soon, which would make matters worse. A biting wind was rattling the boat in all directions. Abby was not afraid of drowning; she knew she could pull herself to the surface, but she feared for Rebekah, whose powers were still only budding.

The girl was wearing the safety-belt as she'd been told, but she kept fidgeting with the straps.

"You'll burst it open if you don't stay put," Abby chided. "We're almost there."

"_Almost_? I don't see any bloody island on the horizon." Not that she could see much anyway, but she was right. There appeared to be no piece of land before them.

"That's the point. It's been hidden from sight, in case curious folks wander around these parts."

"And what do you think makes us different?" Rebekah hollered back.

"We're witches."

Abby leaned precariously against the hull and raised both her hands at the darkening sky.

She started chanting furtively in Latin. Rebekah recognized a few words here and there. She seemed to be asking – well, more like _begging_ – the spirits for entrance. The Original wrinkled her nose. She didn't like this at all. They were sailing on a rented boat in the middle of the ocean with no sign of any life form around them, night was falling, and her legs were turning into blocks of ice. She had expected a safe journey to a holiday spot. Something like Martha's Vineyard, only full of witches. This was just dispiriting.

Abby sat back down, panting with exhaustion. Her voice sounded hoarse when she spoke.

"They're being stubborn and mistrustful."

Rebekah snorted bitterly. "_Obviously_. So now what? We sail back to land or die in the attempt?"

Abby rubbed her hands together to warm them up. "I didn't think I'd have to use this so soon…but very well."

She scrambled through their belongings, pushing aside all sorts of knapsacks. Rebekah didn't travel light, much to her annoyance. But in the end, she found it. Hidden safely in Abby's travel bag. She traced the embossed covers with reverence. It was a lucky thing she had snatched it from underneath Klaus' nose before leaving.

Rebekah stretched her neck to see what her companion was holding so close to her chest. She didn't have to make much of an effort. Abby raised the object over their heads and the girl saw that it was merely a book. A funny, seedy-looking book which shone like ivory in the falling night.

Abby hollered something in Latin at the spirits, invoking the book she was holding in her hands. Rebekah struggled to understand. She had forgotten the classical languages she once knew so well. They had gone out of fashion, and so, she had left them behind. She regretted that now.

At last, Abby spoke in English.

"I hold before you Ayana's Grimoire, the first Bennett witch and descendant from Qetsiyah herself, the Immortal Mother!"

Rebekah had no idea who this "Ketsya" woman might be. But _Ayana_, that name was familiar to her. She'd heard it before, a long time ago. In fact, she was certain she had _met_ that witch. But how?

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a powerful gale that swept the boat and almost flattened her to the floorboards.

When she managed to wrangle herself in a sitting position, the ocean before them was no longer empty.

A dark speck of land was visible on the horizon, right in front of them.

The island.

* * *

_A/N: So, Ayana is a real character on TVD, although she never got much screen time. You can read more about her on the TVD wiki. Also, I know some of you are wondering about the Mystic Gang. More on that soon! And of course, Klaus and Bonnie's romance continues!_


	29. the pack

_A/N: Hello, everyone! It's been a pretty long absence, and I apologize for the delay, but I was caught up in school and this rather long chapter took its toll on me, although I loved writing it! It's one of my more challenging chapters? I experimented a bit with the language, but nothing too crazy, don't worry :)_

_As always, thank you so much for your constant support, I can't believe we're almost thirty chapters into the story! A great many thanks to **lalororo5, cice527,** **namika ashara, princess-snow510, But1tsBetterIfYouDo, zubeyda, DancesWithButterflies, MaloryArcher, Narutofangirl45, Lady Maurelle, LeilaniStar, wonderinthru** (thanks so much! I'm so glad you have such conflicting feelings about the characters and Bonnie's arc! And I partially agree that Caroline and Tyler need to sort out a great deal of things before a possible reunion happens in this story. This is done on purpose to a certain extent, and you will see what I mean later. But i'm incredibly flattered! This story is the highlight of my life too, so we have that in common), **freckled98, BlueLilyInDarkness, naye30, Anastasia-G, bellavida0213, thefudge is grumpy, Guest1** (oh, I would be so embarrassed! But I'm honored you think it's a possibility!), **missstyles101, Guest2** (wish granted!)._

_I should mention that this chapter goes pretty deep into AU territory regarding some character you might know from TO/TVD._

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Rebekah was pretty sure she had broken _half_ her nails. Not to mention, the weird looking stick they had given her was rough and splintery. Her palms were raw and bleeding. She just wanted to go to bed.

But no, she had to carve strange figures in the damp soil. And she had to do them just right, or an elderly woman with stringy hair and a tight mouth would come over and place her bony hand on her shoulder and shake her hard.

Abby was sitting comfortably on a woolen quilt nearby, muttering some spells over a handful of beads and salt.

Rebekah pushed back on her soles and sat down on the ground with a heavy thud.

"Why do you get to do magic while I have to toil like a farm help?"

The Bennett witch sighed with infinite patience. "You're a novice. You're expected to perform physical tasks. It's not supposed to be humiliating."

"Then _why_ do I feel humiliated?"

"Because you're a spoiled brat."

Rebekah threw the stick aside, wiping her forehead. "I'm sweating like a pig, I'm wearing this rag on my skin, and I haven't had a good sleep in ages, and you think I'm _spoiled_?"

Abby frowned. "The ceremonial robes they gave you aren't rags."

"A rose by any other name…" Rebekah muttered under her breath.

"Look, you might not understand this now, but there are certain steps you have to take in order to be initiated. A true witch has to remember her connection to the earth. She has to start humble."

"Oh, so _you_ were made to prod into the ground with a stick too?"

Abby smiled. "No, but I wasn't initiated by this coven. Don't worry, my mother made sure I did my fair share."

"That's another thing, why must I be initiated by _this_ coven?"

"Why not?" Abby countered. "We're here, aren't we? Let's make the best of it."

Rebekah rubbed her sore back. "This is hardly the _best_."

"Pick up that stick before Shima catches you." Shima was the dreaded old woman with bony hands. And she was as vigilant as hawk.

Rebekah picked up the stick resentfully. "Will I get a mattress if I comply?"

"No, but you'll sleep easier."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "I doubt it."

"Try it," Abby suggested.

"Try what?"

"Try _caring_ when you carve those figures. Try _feeling_ the ground underneath you. You're performing magic."

Rebekah scoffed. "This isn't magic."

Abby lifted a bead in the air, then let it drop in her lap. "You're changing the earth, the soil is marked by your touch. Of course you are performing magic."

"But it's not a spell or anything clever. _Anyone_ could do this."

Abby shrugged. "That's the first step to humbleness."

Rebekah scratched at the cumbersome sleeves of her woolen shift and returned to the task at hand, more angry than convinced.

After a while, Shima returned with soft steps, and inspected the carvings at length.

"Disaster," she concluded in a guttural voice. "Wash."

Rebekah's cheeks turned a bright pink. "No! I worked hard at these stupid things, I won't wash them away."

Abby shook her head. "She means you should go wash, Rebekah. You're done for the day."

"Oh."

She felt such intense relief that she almost cracked a smile. But she would be damned if she let grouchy Shima see it.

She rose with all the dignity she could muster and walked to the longhouse with her chin held high, even though her palms and knees were skinned and bruised.

"That was good that you didn't want to see the carvings go," Abby approved when she joined her inside.

Rebekah shrugged and plumped down on her rough-hewn cot. "I hope it rains tonight."

The Bennett witch said nothing, but she retrieved a small round box from her bag. She sat down next to the girl.

"Lift up your palms."

Rebekah only stared at her tiredly. She'd had enough trials and tribulations for one day. She'd only been on this accursed island for five days, but it felt like five years.

Abby took hold of her hands and set them down in her lap. Then, with a gentleness that made Rebekah jump, she started applying a soothing salve to her raw skin.

The blond witch inadvertently leaned into the touch. Abby massaged the heel of her palm, working her way up to the swollen ballpoints, spreading a feeling of warmth and wellness into her bones. Rebekah had to suppress a sigh. Abby worked just as methodically on her other palm, caressing and stroking the flesh in such a way as to make the girl forget about the future sleepless night ahead of her.

She hadn't managed to find a comfortable position in her cot. She was always twisting and turning under the heavy blankets. Thoughts about her family and father still plagued her in the middle of the night. But it was true that the physical exhaustion, though vexatious, relieved her mind of her obsessions. It had been so long since she had felt the burden of her muscles. As a vampire, you could be selective with your feelings. Physical pain was a small, negligible detail. As a human, it was everything.

She wondered if she might manage to sleep now. Abby's touch was almost soporific. She didn't want it to end.

"Time to wash up," Abby spoke, waking her up from the trance.

When she opened her eyes, the Bennett witch was already walking out of the longhouse.

* * *

"You are seeking us on behalf of your daughter."

Abby had to suppress a rather cynical thought. _What gave it away?_

She still felt sore about the price she'd paid. She'd had to whisk Ayana's Grimoire right from under Bonnie's nose, but when she had discovered what Klaus had collected in his safe-house, she couldn't simply leave it there. It was too dangerous.

The Powaqa Coven was the oldest coven in existence. It had lived longer than the Bennetts, longer than their ancestors too. It had witnessed the birth of every witch. It had laughed when the Originals had been born. It had cackled when this very Earth had come into existence. But if you wanted to contact them, you had to offer them something worth more than your life.

And truth be told, Abby Bennett had always wanted to contact them, ever since Sheila had told her of their existence.

"Yes, Great Mothers. You know what I feel. You love all of your children equally," she said, lowering her head to the ground until her forehead kissed the sweet-smelling rushes.

One of the women on the left lifted a bowl for her to drink from. Then, one from the right offered a different bowl in which to spit.

Abby drank the bitter paste and spat blood. She wiped her mouth and thanked them.

"Your daughter, Bonnie Bennett, is bonded with a wolf," they spoke as one.

"Yes, a Mikaelson."

The Chief Mother scowled. "Not a son of Mikael. A son of Ansel. The leader of a powerful pack."

"The North East Atlantic Pack," another Mother supplied patiently. "Old. Still surviving in this world, though very diminished."

Abby clasped her hands together. She realized, quite suddenly, how little she knew. How much she needed to know. But there were burning questions that needed answering first.

"Will this bond harm my daughter?"

The coven watched her in silence. Then the Chief Mother said, "Everything harms us, changes our breath and our flesh, and harms us. And all is good."

_That's conveniently vague._

The Chief Mother suddenly laughed a cold laugh. "Speak your thoughts, Abigail. You are displeased with us."

Abby flushed. "She likes this…wolf she is bonded to. I think she may grow to love him, and I'm afraid of that."

"But he is no son of Mikael," the Chief Mother replied. "He cannot do to her what Mikael did to you."

Abby was about to interject, but a cold hand wrapped around her throat, silencing her.

"When you drink the ashes of the earth, you spit the ashes of your previous body. You are no longer who you were, Abigail. Leave the past behind. What you really want to know is your daughter's future."

Abby nodded her head humbly.

"She is beyond your grasp now," they thundered. "Witch and wolf and vampire she is, the first of her kind. The Immortal Mother Qetsiyah once dreamt this dream. She dreamt that she was undead but still flesh of the earth. She was dreaming of your daughter, for she failed in this life and the next. Listen closely, Abigail. Bonnie Bennett holds the balance between earth, moon and blood. She is alive and yet death runs through her veins. She is nature _against_ nature, nature _with_ nature, neither and both. She may rule the world and make it right, or she may burn it to the ground. She will choose and she will follow that choice."

Abby sank her nails into her thighs. "Bonnie is still so young, but she's always done the right thing, _always, _power cannot corrupt her –"

The Chief Mother laughed with glee. "You worry that this wolf man who has charmed your daughter will corrupt her. You think he is the root of her evil. _Foolish_ child. No one corrupts us. We are evil incarnate and sacrifice beyond compare. We will give our eyes to you and then sew your lips shut. We delight in killing and we mourn our bloody hands. Bonnie Bennett is no better or worse. And all is good."

"But she cannot go through this alone! If she has this immense power inside of her, if she can wreak violence and death, she needs to be saved from herself!" Abby pleaded, her heart beating out of her chest.

The Chief Mother did not laugh this time. She merely bowed her head, mirroring Abby.

"Then she is lucky to be bonded to the son of Ansel. For he will take half her sins. And she will only be half a monster."

* * *

Bonnie looked up at the sun-dappled leaves. There weren't many left. It was a cold autumn day, but beautiful in its starkness. She breathed in the fresh air and exhaled slowly, closing her eyes. If she focused intently, she could feel the pulse of her magic inside and…something else. She didn't want to know if that was the werewolf or the vampire.

She wondered if she would see the first snowfall here. Time seemed to have stopped at the safe-house, and yet it was still going. She was almost looking forward to Christmas with Klaus. What a strange thing, to be domestic with someone like him. They were starting a new session of Aramaic soon. She had progressed fairly well, although she still had a difficult time making full sentences. Sometimes, she thought it was easier to _think_ than speak in Aramaic.

She still missed home, but it was a more abstract place for her now. She was a hybrid, she probably didn't belong in Mystic Falls, or at least, not the same Mystic Falls she had left.

She wondered if she would ever see her friends again. Common sense told her she would. After all, they'd have to leave the confines of the safe-house at one point. Their food stock was running low, for one. The house had been built for a blood-drinker. Klaus was not one anymore. And she certainly wasn't. _Yet._

Her feelings on the matter were murky. Survival was important, and you couldn't grow attached to a stop along the way. But the safe-house had become so much more than that. It was a shared memory, growing more powerful every day. And there was something so reassuring about their isolation. No one could judge them, no one could reach them.

It was a bit like a fairy-tale. Waking up, eating breakfast together, learning languages, kissing on the couch until night fall, falling asleep on old grimoires. It was innocent and nice, but also _strange_. Strange because he was a beast and she was something more dangerous than that, and they were both pretending otherwise.

But every fairy-tale has to end at some point.

Bonnie lifted her hands and called out to the barrier's magic. For the last three days, she had been testing its power. She had felt it before when she walked outside, but now it was becoming a reality. The magical shield was losing strength. Its magic was _dwindling_.

She didn't understand why this was happening. Something told her it wasn't Esther's doing. She almost felt, subconsciously, that it was _her_ fault somehow. She was causing change without even wanting to.

She decided she'd have to tell Klaus today. She didn't know how she'd start that particular conversation.

_Klaus, the magical barrier is slowly going down. I think it's my fault. I'm…I'm…_

Bonnie shook her head. _Klaus, the magical barrier is growing weaker. We have to get ready to leave soon._

She turned back to the house and rehearsed the words.

Inside, Klaus was napping in the living room. Bonnie stopped in the hallway to watch. She loved spying on him when he wasn't aware. He rarely looked this relaxed and at peace. His body was spread haphazardly on the couch, one arm thrown over the back possessively. It was a gesture of strength and weakness, a child gripping his toy but also asking to be held.

She went up to him, bent down and pressed a small kiss to his eyebrows.

He stirred faintly and lifted a hand to touch her hair, but his fingers were weighed down by sleep and they fell to the floor.

"Lazy cat," she chided with a smile.

She went into the kitchen to make some tea, so they would have something warm to drink while they studied more Aramaic.

As she poured the water to heat, Bonnie kept thinking about what it would be like to be on the run again. Where would they go from here? They couldn't return to Virginia. Elijah had mentioned friends in New Orleans. But how safe could that be? Maybe Abby…no, her mother couldn't be trusted completely. Tyler and Tony might have better luck finding a safe location.

She remembered that crazy night when she'd driven a violent Klaus away from Mystic Falls. She'd been brave, but also completely reckless. Could she do that a second time?

"A wolf is hardly a cat."

Bonnie gasped softly. His hands had found their way around her waist and his lips were blowing warm air on her neck. He kissed her softly down her jugular, to her collarbone.

Bonnie inhaled sharply. She pretended to huff. "I'm making tea."

"Don't let me interrupt you," he murmured, pulling her closer to him. His lips worked their way up to her chin and teased the spot below her ear.

"Do you want me to pour hot water all over you?"

"I dare you to try," he said, tightening his grip on her waist.

Bonnie let her head fall back with a sigh as he nipped at the hollow of her throat. His tongue on her skin was like a knife, but instead of pain it only elicited pleasure. It knew where to cut, where to plunge deep. She turned around in his arms and sought his lips, afraid of what she felt. That thing inside her, vampire or werewolf, couldn't be trusted. But she could trust him, she knew that.

The kiss deepened, slow like honey. There were intakes of breath in between, when their mouths opened to each other, but the rest was blissful suffocation. His hand reached into that hair he had failed to touch and he gripped the locks, twisted them under his fingers until her scalp burned and screamed, but she barely felt it.

She looked up into his dark eyes when the kiss subsided.

"What is it, love?" he inquired, lips red from hers.

_I'll tell him tomorrow about the barrier._

"Nothing."

* * *

Tony didn't like the name of the pack. _Crescent Wolf._ It sounded pretentious, bordering on confusing. Did it mean to say their wolf was less than half? Merely a pup, then? How was that a _good_ thing?

But he was supposed to get along, if he wanted answers. It didn't exactly recommend them that they were Tyler's acquaintance.

"Uncle Mason told me to find them if I was ever in trouble and he wasn't around. He's not around. And we're in trouble," Tyler had provided as way of curt explanation.

Tony would have scoffed at the idea some months ago. Asking help from werewolves? Hilarious.

Except, _boss_ was now a werewolf and they really _had_ reached a dead-end. Poor Dyaba hadn't been able to smell out any other remaining hybrids. So it was this, or return to the safe-house with a metaphorical tail between their legs.

The pack lived on the outskirts of the wetlands, right in the heart of The Bayou. Goddamn _New Orleans_. Hundreds of miles further down south than Tony would have liked. At least they could check in with Elijah if things got bad. Although...he suspected Elijah might need _their_ help instead.

But at least the Original was staying at a hotel in town, Tony presumed. These people were living out here like dogs, pun intended. Their wooden shacks had once looked picturesque, but now only appeared depressing and dilapidated to the naked eye.

"Why don't you pick up and go someplace half-decent? Indoor plumbing is a real thing, you know."

"We don't have that luxury," one of their leaders, a pretty fetching little wolf called Hayley, had informed him coolly. "Marcel has thrown us out of New Orleans. He's the vampire boss of the city. He decides."

"So? Why do you have to listen to him?"

She had merely grunted and pushed past him. He hoped to get better acquainted.

Tyler was not doing much better at "connecting" with the pack. They did know about Mason, and they were ready to believe Tyler was a relation, but he was a hybrid now, a creature they had only heard of in legends but never seen with their eyes. They were reluctant to welcome him in their midst. They did know a few things, however.

"We've heard what that witch has been doing even around these parts. It's hard not to, when violent reports turn up at our borders. You know her well?" another leader by the name of Jackson asked them the very night they joined them for supper.

"Well enough," Tony provided amiably. "She's a major psycho bitch bent on killing her family and those who stand in her way. Just so happens I work for her son. He's a werewolf, like you."

"And yet...you two aren't. You drink blood like vampires."

"You still smelled the wolf in us to let us into your territory," Tony argued.

Tyler coughed. "What my…_friend_ here means is that we're not that different from you, despite appearances."

He reluctantly began telling them about the Original Hybrid and his pack.

"Yes, we heard about that too. Some werewolves went to him willingly, but many were _taken_ by force," Jackson spoke harshly. "Contrary to popular belief, not _all_ of us hate what we are. And now this Mikaelson has been turned back into a wolf. I'd say that's justice. But why should any of this interest us?"

"It should interest you," Tony put in, "because Esther won't stop at her family or Klaus. She's building up more and more power. What do you think she'll do with it? I don't know my history very well, but boss – I mean Klaus – told me that New Orleans was founded by the Mikaelsons. Don't you think she'll want to reclaim that seat and take you out like flies?"

Jackson's nostrils flared. "Is this why you're here? To try and enlist us in your _war_? We'll have no part in it. We're only willing to help you find your survivors."

"Sure, that's fair, but why not shoot two birds with one stone?"

Jackson rose angrily and left the table without another word.

"Nice going," Tyler muttered under his breath.

"What? I told him the truth. Esther is cuckoo. She's gonna wipe'em all out if she comes down here."

"_If_ she comes down."

"Come on. You and I both know she's a threat no matter where she is."

The next few days went on uneventfully. A scouting team led them down a few possible paths that the fugitive hybrids might have taken, but both Tyler and Tony were beginning to realize this was another dead-end.

These wolves were no better than Dyaba.

Nobody wanted to discuss the threat of Esther and it was obvious the pack was uneasy and wanted them gone. They decided to leave the next morning.

Tony stood by the edge of a sour-smelling bog and shoved his hands in his pockets. Dyaba was sitting some feet away, gazing thoughtfully into the murky distance.

Boss would be calling soon. Tony rubbed his neck uneasily. He'd been lying to him for days, weeks by now. Telling him they'd found no hybrids yet but were looking. He never got up the courage to tell him about the charred corpses they'd found on the Lakota territory. And so he kept on lying.

It didn't feel right. A part of him, though, kept telling him it _was_. He was protecting Klaus, trying to spare him the pain. Or maybe…maybe that was Mikael talking. Mikael who thought Klaus wasn't strong enough to handle the truth. Mikael who always thought he knew best. Mikael who would end up hurting…

"Nice view you picked," someone commented behind him. Dyaba raised his head.

"It's actually pretty depressing," Tony shrugged, stepping aside to let Hayley walk up to him.

"I know. I was being sarcastic."

"Oh. I thought you guys didn't have a sense of humor."

"We don't have much to laugh about," Hayley said, folding her arms protectively. There were dark shadows under her eyes. Something about her told you it was not a good idea to piss her off. But she was also inviting and pretty, which probably fooled her adversaries nine times out of then.

"I guess I'd be a sad sack too if I were in your shoes."

"Funny, that's actually what I wanted to talk about."

Tony threw her a side glance. "You… wanted to talk about sad sacks?"

"The night we met, I told you Marcel had banned us from the city."

"Yeah, you mentioned. Then you stormed off and left me hanging. I hope this is your form of apology."

Hayley snorted. "Do you ever shut up?"

It was at that moment that his phone went off. _Boss_. Punctual as always.

"Hold up one moment, I gotta get this –"

"Call back later. This is serious business," Hayley told him.

"So is my phone call."

"_No_. Your boss, or whoever he is, can wait. Now, click your phone shut and put it back in your pocket." Her tone brooked no argument. He'd been around powerful people long enough to know a threat when he heard one.

He sighed. "I guess you're the boss."

Hayley smiled briefly. "As I was saying, Marcel banned us from the city when he took power. You asked me why we put up with it. Have you ever heard of the Crescent Curse?"

Tony snorted. "Nice alliteration. But no."

"It's the worst thing that can happen to a werewolf. It reverses your cycle. You're only human during the full moon. The rest of the month, you're a wolf."

The hybrid frowned. "Okay…but you're pretty human to me right now."

"That's because we accepted Marcel's terms. We used to be cursed, until he agreed to make his witch lift it, on the condition that we leave the city. If we ever come back and claim our rights, the witch can put the curse on us again. You see our predicament."

"Wow…that sucks big time," Tony offered clumsily.

"Yeah, it does. We don't like witches around these parts. And despite what Jackson says, we _do_ care about Esther. If she's the same breed as Marcel's witch…well, we'd rather be safe than sorry."

Tony shook his head. "I don't get it. Why don't you just _leave_ this territory? Find another home."

Hayley sighed. "Home is a hard place to leave. You weren't a werewolf for long before Klaus made you…into this, were you?"

Tony shrugged. "Two years. Enough for me, to be honest."

She nodded. "This pack has dwelt here for generations. Hundreds and hundreds of years. We hunted and prospered on this land. If we leave it, the Crescent Pack will be weakened."

"You can't leave, you can't stay…what's option number three?"

"Option number three is you, actually."

"Huh?"

Hayley turned towards him fully. "I don't want to grow old here. But I don't want to grow weak either. I want to be a hybrid."

Tony opened his mouth, but she interrupted him. "And there are dozens more werewolves who want the same thing as me. _My_ side of the pack at least. Some folks will no doubt follow Jackson to the bitter end. But the Labonairs want better things. If you can turn us into your kind, we will help you fight Esther."

Tony, for once, had nothing to say. Even if such a proposal could be taken seriously, Klaus was only a werewolf now. How could she get what she wanted?

Hayley seemed to have read his thoughts. "I don't care what it takes. That's the only deal I'll make. Figure out what you're gonna do. And let me know before you leave."

Tony sat down on a mossy boulder, fingering his phone nervously. Dyaba came up to him with an understanding look in his eye.

"So…you don't happen to have an idea, do you, pal?"

The wolf raised his paw and set it on his knee. He nudged the phone with his snout.

"Call boss? And tell him what? He can't turn them, even if he wanted to –"

Dyaba shook his shaggy head and nudged the phone until Tony dropped it on the ground.

"Okay, you're not helping."

_Bonnie_, Tony suddenly heard, as he bent down to pick it up.

"What?"

He looked around, expecting to see Tyler, but he appeared to be alone in the clearing. It was just him and the wolf.

Dyaba stomped his paws on the ground.

"…did you just talk to me?"

Dyaba nodded his head solemnly.

Tony exhaled. "Yeah. Weirder things have happened. But you never talked to me before. What gives? All those times I brought you hamburger meat and tried to get you to open up, that was for nothing?"

The wolf howled plaintively. It almost sounded like _we don't have time for this_.

"Okay, okay. So…you want me to call Bonnie, is that it?"

The wolf nodded once again enthusiastically.

Tony frowned. "How is that any better than talking to Boss?"

Dyaba howled in obvious frustration and scratched at the boggy earth with his paws.

"_Fiiiine_. But for the record, I'm not asking for your suggestions again."

* * *

Bonnie tried not to blush at the sight of Vision-Klaus. She had been nodding off in the warm bath, stark naked, when a noise had startled her. She had looked up to find him sitting on the edge of the tub, watching her intently.

"Stop doing that!"

"Make me, why don't you?"

By now, she could easily detect the difference between the two. Vision-Klaus was more willing to show his thoughts and feelings. His face was an open canvas. Right now, he was hungry, bordering on _ravenous_, and he was contemplating her body without any sort of restraint.

It was _silly_. She shouldn't have been embarrassed even if the real Klaus had been present. But this was the product of her mind, a perverse and honest mirror. Which meant that she secretly wanted to be seen by Klaus, to be put on display for him.

She gathered the foam around her chest coyly, to put more distance between them, but Vision-Klaus merely laughed and dipped a finger into the water. "You're going to have to do better than that, love."

"Or you could just let me take a bath in peace."

"When will you accept you can't get enough of me?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. She'd forgotten how much more obnoxious Vision-Klaus could be.

The burner phone started ringing and spared her from having to reply. She expected to hear from Tyler, but it was Tony this time around.

"Tony! It's so good to hear from you!"

In less than two minutes, she was laughing at his old antics. Only he could get her to laugh that fast. His humor was contagious. She missed him dearly.

"And you're getting along better with Tyler?"

"Oh, yeah, a regular _Shawshank Redemption_ happening over here."

The conversation turned to her and Klaus far too quickly for her liking. "How are the lovebirds doing? Should I be calling myself an uncle already?"

"I can hang up, you know."

"Don't tease, Bennett. I only wanna be prepared. If it's a girl, I'm in charge of her sweet sixteen, just letting you know up-front."

"It's not going to be a girl or a boy, so stop dreaming."

"What, you mean you and Boss _haven't_ made the beast with two backs yet?"

"There's gotta be a better way to describe that," she muttered, wrinkling her nose.

"What are you two waiting for?"

"Your approval, of course," she replied snidely. "Now, are you gonna tell me what's going on with you? Any luck with the hybrids?"

Tony heaved a dramatic sigh. "About that…"

"Did you find something? Please tell me you've got good news for Klaus."

"Well…I always have good news for Klaus, don't I? Cuz I never tell him the full story."

"What are you talking about?"

There was momentary silence on the other line, which startled her more than anything else. Tony was rarely silent.

"You can't tell him. It would crush him. Promise me. Bonnie?"

"_Tony_. Tell me _now_."

And then she heard the whole story, the real story. Tony seemed relieved to finally tell the truth, but she was burdened with it now. The charred corpses, Esther's trail of violence, the desecration of sacred territories…

"She _obliterated_ our pack, Bon. And she did it so easily."

Bonnie closed her eyes. She could only imagine the fresh pain Klaus would feel at the news. And now with the barrier becoming weaker…

The water was turning cold, wrinkling her fingertips.

"Tyler led us to this pack that might help us find the survivors and maybe fight this bitch. But they've got a steep price. Practically impossible."

"What do they want?"

Tony sighed. "They want to become hybrids. I told them Klaus is only a werewolf now, he can't turn them. But Hayley - that's one of the leaders - she's pretty set on it. She won't help us otherwise. I guess we don't need them. Maybe Elijah or Abby can find some allies…"

Bonnie rose from the bath inelegantly. She stepped out on the cold tiles and let her wet hair fall on her back. Vision-Klaus watched her unbridled movements with awe. She did not spare him a glance. She felt no shame. A strange new energy had taken over her body.

"Tell her yes."

"What?"

"Tell her we'll do it."

"Do what, Bennett? Klaus can't –"

"_I_ will turn her. And all the rest. If they help us."

She could practically see Tony's dumbfound expression when he asked, "Have you been smoking something funny? How are _you_ going to -"

"Listen, it's a long story and I can't explain everything right now. Trust me. I can _do_ this. Tell her yes. Tell her we accept."

"But –"

Bonnie stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was afraid of that hard thing inside her, but she was also grateful for it.

"I can do it. I will do it. I'll turn every single one of them."


	30. the root

_A/N: Hello, everyone! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I'm awfully sorry for the delay, but you probably saw the notification on my profile. To put it simply, I was suffering from writer's block (that, and the added pressure of some work-related issues), and I still am, which is why this chapter is not as long as I'd like, but I'm trying to get back into shape and continue this story. I am really grateful to those of you who still read and review, and I hope I can still update in the future with maybe fewer delays. No promises at this point, though! Thank you so much for your support! As always,_

_I hope you like!_

* * *

**a little drop of poison**

Crescent Wolf was hardly pleased when one of their leaders announced she was going to follow the two _hybrids_ back to their supposed maker in order to get more answers. They didn't think more answers were necessary. They had all the information they needed to survive: avoid Esther, don't piss off Marcel. But Hayley, much to Jackson's chagrin, insisted they needed to have a plan B. Of course, she hadn't revealed to anyone what her plan B was.

Only Tony really knew about it. Hayley was going to play guinea pig. She was going to volunteer to be turned into hybrid, then come back and convince her side of the pack, the Labonairs, that it had been worth the risk. As far as plans went, Tony thought this one was as mad as a hatter. But there wasn't much he could do to stop Hayley from taking the initiative. And he really, _really_ wanted to know how Bonnie Bennett was going to make this work.

The witch hadn't cared to elaborate how exactly she was going to _turn_ Hayley into a hybrid. She had just assured him she _could_. Tony wondered if all that time spent with his cocky boss had gone to her head. Still, he knew Bennett was a go-getter and never gave up a fight. So she must've had something up her sleeve.

Tyler was the only stick in the mud, really.

"Great, our big plan is to go back to the safe-house with a werewolf girl."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You really shouldn't call her _girl_. At least not when she's in earshot. And who said anything about you going?"

Tyler narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Obviously, you'll stay here and chat up your new friends. You get along with them better than I do. It's not like you have somewhere else to go." Tony hadn't meant that to sound mean, but well, old habits.

Tyler grunted in return. Typical.

"Cheer up, James Dean. You've got your new BFF, Elijah, in town. Just give him a call when you feel lonely."

"I will make you eat your words, Kiss-Ass."

"A touching moment to share with the grandkids, I'm sure," Tony teased, receiving another death glare from his frenemy. Fair enough.

* * *

Esther had to admit that while she had considered Kol her most incompetent child of the bunch, he was fairly clever when given direction. The boy had done as told; he had proceeded to magically sever the lives of Jeremy Gilbert and Alaric Saltzman several times, without respite. The results were already hopeful. Saltzman, at least, was showing disturbing signs of rage and bloodlust. The younger one was a bit harder to bend.

But the _really_ clever thing Kol had done was to force the rings' powers to extend beyond the Gilberts. He had kidnapped _other_ oafish men from the town's population and had forced them to wear the rings while in the throes of death. It was proving to be quite lucrative work.

Esther hadn't thought that the rings could extend their powers to other individuals, and they did _not_ – not as efficiently in any case, but they served their purpose well enough.

By now, they had captured and locked up a dozen raving young men who were seething with magical rage. Young Jeremy Gilbert shared a cell with a young man called Trent Bushwick, and they both engaged in around-the-clock feral wrestling, to choke down their unbridled fury.

The town was, of course, in a panic. Twelve promising young men, including a history teacher, had been taken by force and made to disappear.

The Salvatores were yapping at her door, demanding Gilbert Junior's safe return, but Esther was not concerned. Now that she and her children were practicing magic, they had sealed the mansion and its environs from the watchful eye of vampires and supernaturals.

Ironically, Esther had used the same spell which protected Klaus' safe-house, though little did she know this was the case.

She had taken over Mystic Falls, and it had only been a matter of _days_. How delightful.

Finn was the only wrench in her plans. He was being a _dour_ little soldier. He did not agree with Kol's brilliant enterprise. He felt that they were turning the townspeople into cannon fodder. Which, to him, was wrong.

She would have to silence his doubts somehow. But so far, she relished that things were going better than expected.

She watched in amusement as Alaric Saltzman chased around his cell room, tearing his fists against the wall, yelling about killing everyone in sight.

Wonderful.

Her little army was growing strong.

"Mother," Kol swaggered confidently into the corridor, holding a hunting knife. "I thought I might sport with some of our captives. Teach them how to fight properly."

She smiled indulgingly. "As long as you do not get hurt, my son. Remember, you are no longer untouchable."

"Oh, but I am," he grinned, snapping his fingers and releasing a torrent of magic.

Esther frowned. Suppose _some_ of her children were becoming too enthusiastic about magic.

"Make sure you work on the Gilbert boy," she instructed silkily. "I'd like to see him entirely broken and unrecognizable for when Bonnie Bennett sees him again."

* * *

"Okay, Blondie. Just tell everyone what you told me," Damon waved his hand in her direction.

Caroline looked down at her daylight ring with some trepidation. They were all conferring in the Salvatore Boarding House, for lack of better headquarters. Stefan and Damon were nursing some pretty ugly bruises from the magical barriers they had tried to bring down earlier that day. To no avail. Esther was safe and sound behind her fortress.

Which made their current conference even more frustrating. They were losing. They needed something good.

"I – I think Tyler knows where Bonnie is. I think he knows where Klaus is too."

Caroline started telling them about the strange phone call and Tyler's cryptic words.

"I mean he sounded like he wanted to tell me truth, but he couldn't. Something or _someone_ was forcing him to stay quiet."

"Yeah, someone like his _sire_. I knew Lockwood couldn't be trusted after he turned into one of the X-men," Damon drawled.

"Hey!" Caroline protested.

"_If_ Tyler is currently at Klaus' behest, it's probably not something he chose to do," Stefan reminded his brother. "Knowing him, he's trying to protect us."

"Exactly! That's what he led me to believe too. He said he wanted to return to Mystic Falls, but he couldn't yet," Caroline confirmed.

"So, we need to give hybrid-boy more incentive to come home…hmm," Damon pondered, staring at the blond vampire with interest.

"I know that look, Damon," Elena pitched in with a scowl. "Whatever you have in mind, you can forget it. We're not putting Caroline in danger."

"Do you have a better plan?" he challenged, turning on her.

"Right now, what we need to focus on is releasing my brother from Esther," Elena said, trying to keep her voice steady and failing miserably. The tears were drying up at the corner of her eyes. The terror of the last few days had taken its toll on her. The only silver-lining was that Jeremy was still alive. The Original Witch had _some_ devious plans in mind, but they required him to be alive.

"And I don't see how Tyler can help us, either way. He sounds like he needs more help than us," she continued gloomily.

"Tyler maybe can't, but whatever he knows about this whole mess would be useful," Stefan argued.

"And if he knows where Bonnie is…" Caroline trailed off.

"Then maybe we can get her back," Stefan finished for her, although he didn't sound very confident about it.

"I told him to tell her about Jeremy," Caroline continued. "Bonnie still loves him, I know it. Even if you think Klaus convinced her to follow him, she couldn't have changed _that_ much. She's still our friend, deep down. She hasn't forgotten us. And we don't stand a chance in hell against Esther without her."

"Well, at least she's not sired to Klaus, like Tyler. She can break through his manipulation easier," Stefan muttered, considering the possibility.

Damon shook his head in disbelief. "Sooo…the person we really need to draw out is Bonnie Bennett. And the only real bait we have is Jeremy Gilbert. Yeah, we're screwed."

Elena glared at him in a way that was reminiscent of Katherine.

"Maybe Bonnie would return to us if she _could_," she said, her voice sharp with determination. "So how do we help her escape Klaus' influence? How do we help her come home?"

Caroline looked down at her phone, which had started beeping angrily. "Oh, no. Damn it, I told him to come straight to the boarding house! Why did he swing by the Grill?!"

"What is it, Care?"

"It's Matt. He – Kol captured him. My mom just messaged me. She's gonna put Mystic Falls on lockdown."

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Great. We are losing this town one idiot at a time."

"Damon!"

And then a strange expression flickered across his face. Something resembling an idea. A not very good idea.

"Blondie, call your mom. Ask her if she knows whether Bonnie's dad is in town. You guys want her to break away from Klaus? Well, I've got some incentive."

* * *

Klaus unceremoniously dashed a tumbler against the wall, smashing it into brilliant smithereens.

"YOU ARE NOT MAKING HYBRIDS UNDER THIS ROOF, BONNIE BENNETT!"

Bonnie did not bat an eyelid. She had been ready for his anger. She had known a confrontation couldn't be avoided. She hadn't expected he would just _agree_ to her plan. Admittedly, screaming at each other for half an hour hadn't been penciled into her expectations. She had been hoping the issue would be resolved after only a few short tantrums.

Alas…

"THAT IS MY FINAL WORD ON THE MATTER!" he growled with the fury of a wolf.

Bonnie recognized the amber in his eyes and she bared her teeth at him. Suddenly, she was growling back at him.

"_YOU_ DON'T GET TO DECIDE THAT, KLAUS!"

The voice coming out of her throat was amplified into a _roar_. She only remembered having yelled like this once, when she had tried to stop Mikael from killing Klaus. It felt good to scream so loudly.

"THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE STAND A CHANCE AGAINST HER. I'M NOT LETTING ESTHER WIN."

Bonnie clapped a hand over her throat, trying to steady the storm in her voice.

Needless to say, she had managed to trigger her werewolf root.

_Shit. _

It had started to rear its ugly head ever since she had found out what she was. And now, she was howling like a goddamn animal.

Klaus took a step back, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. Bonnie sensed that he was both _very_ angry and _slightly_ aroused by her wolf-side.

It certainly made their argument more…evenly matched. Bonnie decided she liked it too, this unmanageable rage coursing through her veins, sharpening her senses and obscuring her fear. It made her want to run into the night and lose herself in the wilderness. Still, she remembered where she was. She tried to let her temper simmer.

Klaus was attempting to do the same, although his face was riddled with conflicting emotions.

"I _told_ you that anything could be triggering in your state!" he retorted, lowering his voice only a fraction.

"And I _told_ you I'm tired of your over-protectiveness! I can't live my whole life between these walls like some kind of fragile flower! I'm a hybrid now, and from where I'm looking, I'm the most valuable resource we have. I'm _going_ to use it."

"Oh, how novel of you! You are going to sacrifice yourself, _yet again_. Not that it was enough the first ten times you did it!" he spat derisively, letting his ire get the better of him. "YOU'D BE FALLING RIGHT INTO MY MOTHER'S TRAP! HAVE YOU EVEN CONSIDERED WHAT IT WILL DO TO YOU?"

"NO, OF COURSE NOT, BECAUSE I'M A RECKLESS IDIOT. OF COURSE I CONSIDERED THAT. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. THIS IS WHAT I WANT!"

And she flung herself at him, pressing both her palms against his chest in anger. Klaus wasn't ready for her attack and he toppled ungracefully to the floor.

Bonnie loomed over him menacingly, her mouth twisted into a snarl. Like a wolf stalking its prey.

Klaus stared at her, half in fear, half in awe. His breath was coming up short in his throat. He swallowed thickly. Oh, _God_, the way she was bearing down on him…as if she was about to devour him...his senses were spiraling with desire…

"I WANT TO GIVE IT A TRY, OKAY? I _WANT_ TO DO IT. AND FOR ONCE, I THINK I'M STRONG ENOUGH TO SUCCEED. AND I REALLY WANT TO STOP HOWLING LIKE A STUPID WOLF, SO IF YOU COULD JUST BELIEVE IN ME–"

He pushed himself up against her stronghold and grabbed her face in his hands.

"I do believe in you, but –"

She silenced him with a kiss, which he more than reciprocated, responding to her wolfish power with his own dormant wolf. Animal calling to animal. An electrical charge that found its twin outlet. He sank his fingers in her hair and pulled her down against him, until Bonnie could feel his warmth through her clothes. It was all she could do not to dig her nails into his shirt. She pulled away, slightly out of breath.

"You won't distract me with another kiss, okay? I know it's a shot in the dark, believe me, I've been thinking of nothing else all night. But my gut is telling me I _need_ to do this."

"And what happens if you succeed?" he asked softly, staring into her eyes. His thumb caressed the blue shadows underneath them. "Do you think that kind of power leaves no mark?"

Bonnie heaved a sigh and rolled off of him reluctantly.

"I'm not creating hybrids for my own benefit, am I? I'm doing it to stop Esther. It's in the service of good. That has to count for something."

""You'd still have _dominion_ over them," he corrected, raising himself on his elbows.

"I'd break it. I'd break the sire bond between us. I'd give them free will. I'd give them a chance to fight _with_ us. Tony told me that this werewolf – Hayley – she _wants_ to become a hybrid."

"And if the others don't?"

"I – I'll figure it out along the way. Let's just start with one."

Bonnie sensed the deception in her voice. She knew she was acting more confident than she felt, but he had no idea about the fact that the magical barrier was going down. He didn't know this was their only option.

"It's not as simple as that," Klaus argued.

"Sometimes it is," she sighed.

Klaus shook his head. "Do you know why people worship the gods? Because they can create life out of nothing. No mere mortal can do that. Once you wield that kind of power, it stops having any meaning to you. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong. It just _is_. The creation of this earth was perhaps an accident, because someone couldn't stop. These things are _beyond_ our control, is what I learned a long time ago."

Bonnie rounded up on him angrily. "Then why did you make hybrids in the first place, if you knew the risks?"

He laughed cynically. "Ask the clouds not to shed rain. Ask the sun not to shine. It's in the nature of the creator to create. I…couldn't help myself."

"See? That's because you were selfish and alone and well, _you_. You were in a bad place. _I_'ll be different, I'll be -"

He raised an eyebrow. "_Selfless_? Yes, I suppose there is no better candidate than you, Bonnie."

She gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say –"

Klaus waved off her denial. "Don't bother, love. It's why I'm so fond of you, after all."

She shook her head, trying not to blush at his words. "I said you _were_ in a bad place. You _were_ selfish. You aren't anymore."

"I am when it comes to you. That's why I am fighting you on this," he replied, a dark look in his eye.

Bonnie licked her lips. "I'd be doing it for you too, you know. Esther killed the rest of your children."

"I am _very_ much aware, thank you," he grumbled, not unkindly. "But I don't want _you_ to stake revenge on _my_ behalf."

"Is this some caveman logic where you tell me it's unladylike of me to fight your battles?"

Klaus snorted, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her close again. He could feel the tension in her muscles, the power stored there, waiting to be released. Her hybridity was like a powder keg. The smallest spark could set it aflame.

"I would never make such an asinine observation. Only morons feel threatened by their consorts. No, I simply don't wish…that kind of life for you. I feel I've already upended your existence. Making you even more like me is not something I desire, as you know."

Bonnie gripped his arms, using perhaps too much force to show her affection. But Klaus did not flinch.

"You know, people who like each other a lot don't mind borrowing a few habits."

"Oh. And you like me a lot, is it?" he drawled with a smug smirk.

"Well, you did just call me consort, which I gather is an old-person name for something serious."

Maybe she was imagining things, but Klaus' smile was almost bashful. "I – this _is_ serious to me, Bonnie. I haven't done this before."

"Done what?"

But he wouldn't reply. Instead, he pulled an unruly curl away from her face. "I do resent you calling me _old_, however."

"Do you prefer geezer then?" she teased with a small smile.

He craned his neck to meet her lips, but before he could kiss her, she whispered softly, almost inaudibly against his lips, "I know this will be difficult. And I'm brave, I've always been brave. It's just that I need - "

Klaus inhaled her scent and let his mouth ghost over hers. "I am yours. Whatever you need."

"Even if you don't approve?" she demanded fiercely, her heart beating too fast against his chest.

He nuzzled his nose against hers. "Especially because I don't approve."

He swallowed her breath with a kiss. They would do this together, or not do it at all.


End file.
